18 Years later
Date: 10th of Misuya, 476 NE (Nuzaka Era)
Location: Muzuakai Highschool.
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Lord Ivan face twisted into a menacing grin as he sneered, "Huh, do I look like I give a damn about what you're saying? Give me your money or I'll roast you alive."
His hands erupted into flames, casting flickering shadows on his face.
As the heir to the powerful Mikisoya Clan, which ruled Misoya City, Ivan's influence extended far beyond the school.
He was an A-rank flame user, and his family's wealth and authority made him virtually untouchable and above the school's rules.
Detention was a meaningless threat for him, even the school operated under his clan's jurisdiction.
Last year, he ranked third among the Top 10 students in the city during the summer interschool battle competition, solidifying his reputation as someone you definitely didn't want to mess with.
"'Have you made up your mind, or do you need a little persuasion?" Ivan whispered, his voice dripping with malice.
His two henchmen, holding the victim, burst into laughter, clearly enjoying the scene.
Mamura voice trembled as he spoke, his eyes wide with fear. "B-but please I need that money for lunch," he stammered, his grip tightening on the few coins he had.
Despite the fear in his voice, he dared not meet Ivan's gaze, knowing full that pleading with someone like him would likely only worsen his situation.
Ivan's expression twisted into pure rage as Mamura's words hit his ears.
"What the hell? Don't give me that fucking damn answer!" he snarled, his voice sharp like a blade.
Without a moment's of hesitation, Ivan's fist clenched, the veins bulging beneath his skin as flames danced around his hands.
With a swift, brutal motion, he drove his fist into Mamura's stomach.
"WHAM!" .....
The impact was fierce. Mamura's body folded over the blow, his breath stolen from him as he was sent flying backward.
He crashed into the wall with a sickening thud, crumpling to the floor like a broken doll.
Coughing weakly, Mamura spat a little blood onto the cold floor, his vision blurring as the pain wracked his body.
Yeah, that's how the world works here—a brutal hierarchy where the strong feast and the weak starve. Mercy is like a diamond only the powerful can afford, and it's a gift they rarely give.
In this world, power isn't just a tool; it's the only law that matters. Violence isn't just a consequence—it's the currency, the language everyone understands.
The ones at the top step on the heads of those below them, squeezing out every last drop of dignity until nothing remains but fear and submission.
In a world like this, you either learn to bow, or you end up broken.
For the weak, there's only one choice: stay hidden and hope that those above never notice you. Because once they do ("there's no escape…")
Ivan advanced slowly to where Mamura laid low, his every step heightening the crowd's anticipation.
Never in his life had he been denied anything he desired. His commands were always obeyed, his wishes granted. But this insignificant loser dared to defy him - a first from anyone, let alone a boy.
'How intoxicating am going to teach this scum a lesson'
"I won't ask again," Ivan spat, his voice laced with venom as he clenched his fists, intensifying the flames that danced across his hands. "Hand over the money, and I swear by the gods, this will end."
Mamura clenched his fist, wiping the blood trickling from his lips. His face twisted back in anger, eyes burning with a rage despite the pain coursing through his body.
"Go to hell, you fucking moron!" he screamed, his voice ringing out like a gunshot, echoing through the garden with raw emotion.
(Silence)
The sudden outburst shocked everyone. The students who had been mocking him moments ago recoiled in surprise, their hearts pounding in their chests.
It wasn't fear, but the sheer audacity of Mamura's words that left them stunned. Silence hung in the air, thick with tension.
After a moment, the students erupted in mocking laughter, their insults now laced with cruelty.
"Is he insane?" one student jeered, disbelief coloring his voice. "This peasant actually thinks he has a death wish!"
"What a pathetic joke," another sneered. "He's just begging to get crushed. Can't wait to see him grovel when Lord Ivan's done with him."
"Trash like him should know his place," the third added with a cold smirk. "No matter how loud he barks, a mutt is still just a mutt."
Their harsh words heightened the flames of the crowd's anticipation, hungry for more violence.
Ivan was momentarily taken aback by Mamura's defiant scream. His eyes narrowed dangerously as anger bubbled within him, more intense than before.
'Who the hell does this scum think he is?' he fumed inwardly. ' I'll kill this son of a bitch.'
With a low growl, Ivan began rolling up his school sleeves, his flames roared to life, blazing fiercely from both hands, casting an ominous glow.
He took on a slow walk towards Mamura, each one more threatening than the last.
His hands hands flickering with flames, the heat searing the air as he prepared to unleash hell upon Mamura
"Fine," Ivan spat, his voice low and venomous.
"You want to act tough? Let's see how tough you really are."