(XVII) Disgraceful

"Wha-What!?" Callum exclaimed, shocked at the forwardness.

"Hmph!" One of the boys huffed, spitting in his palm as he formed a fist and stepped forward, "How dare you speak to someone of a higher rank like that? Do you know who his lordship is?"

"He is going to become the strongest mage since his father, Dromund Martix!" The other boy shouted, pointing at him angrily, "He is the heir to the Martix House, Lord Callum!"

Callum smirked with pride, nodding as he thought, 'You'd better be more polite toward me!'

"You two talk too much." Leon sighed, agitating the two lackeys as they stepped forward.

The boy who spit in his palm threw a punch, but Leon easily dodged the attack, turning around as he slammed his back against the boy's chest, grabbing his arm, flinging him over his shoulder, and slamming him into the ground.

The other boy charged him, but he spun around, elbowing him in the face, busting his nose as it started gushing blood Le.on grabbed his head, jerking it downward as he raised his knee, cracking his face as the boy fell to the ground.

The first boy tried to stand, but Leon spun once more, kicking him in the face and knocking him out as he turned to stare at Earl's son, "Are you next?"

"Wha-What the..." Callum flinched, staring at him incredulously, "You insolent..! So you think you're a tough one, huh?"

"Go to hell with that crap." Leon said, glaring at him, "Tell me what it is you want before I silence you like I did your flunkies."

"Ahem!" Callum cleared his throat, calming himself before he raised his hands, "I'm not here to pick a fight! I simply wished to have a conversation!"

"There's no point in hearing more from you, judging from this worthless attempt..." He replied, shaking his head, "I have no business with you; we're not friends."

"Wha-What?" He shouted, flinching as he stepped back, "Di-Didn't you hear what they said? Do you not know who I am?"

"I do." Leon replied, staring at him blankly, "You are Earl Dromund's son."

"Hmph!" Callum smirked, "So you do know who I am. I was almost offended! You are King George's bastard son, so why don't we formally converse?

Oh, by the way, I was simply flustered by your tone before and didn't mean to be rude, so I hope you did not mistake my intentions."

'Yeah, right...' Leon thought, crossing his arms over his chest, 'That's why you approached with two goons.'

"You nd I will be the two most prominent Nobles in the Exvius Academy this year, so we should building our friendship at an early age, don't you agree?" Callum asked, grinning as he stared into Leon's eyes.

'All this just to suggest I submit to him, huh?' Leon thought, shaking his head, "No. I have no interest in playing your game, nor do I care. Now, if you're done, get lost."

"You!!! How dare you decline my kind offer!!" He yelled, anger flashing across his face, "Just who do you think you are?!"

Leon turned around to walk away when Bella hissed loudly, causing him to turn around again. He witnessed Callum conjuring a fireball in his hand.

"First, I will crush you and then you'll have no choice but to become my subordinate!" He shouted.

"Ha!" Leon chuckled, a malicious grin spreading across his face, reaching across his chest as he palmed the hilt of his sword, "So you want to use force after all!"

"Yeah. I thought about changing my mind, but I find this way to be much easier." Callum smirked.

"You should know better than to cause a scene right now," he warned, grinning as he glared at the boy. Just imagine how sad your parents would be if they found out... You must know you'd get in trouble."

"Hmph!" he grinned, reaching into his coat as he produced an orb. "There's no need to worry about that." No one will be able to see us as long as I have this!"

Callum injected his mana into the sphere as it began glowing brightly, and a zone of magic quickly expanded, engulfing the four boys.

"An artifact of illusion, huh?" Leon asked, "It's been a while since I've seen this..."

"It makes no difference!" He shouted, "You will soon be on your knees, begging for mercy!"

He turned to the two boys on the ground, "Quit your sniveling and get up!"

The two bloodied boys stood, groaning from their sustained injuries as they glared at Leon, spitting insults at him.

"Things have gotten quite interesting!" Leon exclaimed, grinning as he entered his battle stance, drawing his sword.

"Interesting?" Callum chuckled, "You must be out of your mind! Starting today, Othniel will submit to Kroscester and be subservient to th-"

"Bella!" Leon shouted as the Shadow Carbuncle leaped into the air. Magic rapidly gathered around her body, and powerful smoke filled the radius of the artifact.

"I'd recommend against turning off the artifact's effect..." Leon warned, his voice echoing through the smokescreen, causing the boys to recoil and look around frantically, "Or else everyone will see you three suffer disgracefully in pain!"

Leon dashed forward, grabbing one of the boys as he screamed fearfully, causing Callum and the remaining lackey to become more terrified, calling out his name, but there was no response.

Callum spun on his heels, facing the remaining goon, but only heard his screams as he vanished from before him, causing him to stumble backward, tripping as he fell on his rear.

'I will kill him...' As the artifact slipped from his fingers, he thought, "I will make him pay!!!'

His anger overwhelmed his thoughts, "I will make sure he suffers a thousand deaths!'

"How?" Leon asked, standing above him, his sword raised above his head, ready to strike.

Callum recoiled momentarily before he glared up and threw a fireball, but it passed through the illusion. He gritted his teeth, "I will not allow it...

I will not tolerate this!!" He shouted, jumping to his feet, "I will crush you, and you will be nothing more than a vegetable for the rest of your life!"

"Such high and mighty words from someone who can't even handle a simple swordsman..." Leon said, appearing before him and punching Callum in the gut. This caused him to fall to his knees and cough violently.

"Stay out of my way and I won't have to disgrace you ever again." Leon said as Bella dispelled the smoke, revealing the two unconscious boys beside him.

"Y-You..." Callum struggled to say, wincing in pain.

"Oh!" Leon exclaimed, reaching down to pick up the artifact, "For troubling me at my own party, I think this will be enough recompense."