CHAPTER 85: CH-85

"That man is very creepy," Lea hid behind my back.

"Careful. That guy is one of the richest in the country," I reminded her.

"I know, I know," she replied, frowning. "I just don’t like him. In fact, my father warned Uncle Daniel about DarkRock, but he didn’t listen."

I snatched her hand without thinking. "So... the Blackwood’s? They’re not with DarkRock?"

She nodded slowly. "That’s right, we’re partnered with JP Harrison."

’JP Harrison.’ I repeated in my mind. ’The largest financial institution in the country.’

Both DarkRock and JP were household names, but while DarkRock thrived on high-stakes trading, JP kept things grounded—banking, lending, that sort of steady business.

On the surface, this information might not seem important, but it actually gave me a clearer picture.

First, the Blackwood Group wasn’t in cahoots with Dark Rock, which meant they probably weren’t part of Darkness either.

Suddenly, she wasn’t just someone I liked to slept with. She was the connection I needed to her father.

Hate to admit it, but I didn’t have any heavy hitters on my side yet. I had no choice but to play along with Sakamoto.

The ceremony wrapped up smoothly. I’d made good progress with Lea, even if I had to restrain myself a lot since we were in public.

"Big Bro, call me when you’ve got time. Dinner’s on me." She tugged my hand once more, flashing that catlike smile, then backed away while waving. She really knew how to play the cute card.

"I didn’t know you were close with Lea." Ellie broke me from my trance.

"A little bit. I used to hang out at her place when we were kids."

"I see," she responded with a slow nod. I could tell she was already putting the pieces together.

Before I could say anything else, Ellie suddenly added,

"By the way, did you already know that Lea awakened recently?"

"She what?"

Ellie tilted her head, a hint of surprise on her face. "You didn’t know?"

"No. She didn’t mention it."

"She got an A-Rank. It was such a big deal"

Damn it. If I’d known sooner, I would’ve put more effort into getting closer to her. An A-Rank today could be an S-Rank tomorrow with the right kind of luck.

Well, no worries—I still have that dinner lined up.

When it was time to head home, I told Ellie and the others to go on without me. There was still one thing I needed to take care of.

A few minutes later, I found myself walking toward a bench where Mr. Sakamoto was already waiting.

He sat alone, but I could feel it—dozens of eyes tracking his every move.

In this city, anyone dumb enough to go after him wouldn’t even get close. His security was airtight.

"Mr. Sakamoto," I greeted while keeping my tone neutral.

"Sit,’ he commanded.

So, he finally showed his true colors.

Publicly, he was all smiles and kindness; privately, he was pure arrogance.

"Still upset about earlier?" I asked with a chuckle while taking a seat.

"I only tolerated it because the Blackwood girl was around. You owe her."

"I’ll keep that in mind." I stopped, eyes on the tree, where a figure was eyeing me.

"Why reach out to me? You already own the Mercer Group. There’s no reason for this."

Sakamoto leaned back and laughed.

"Young man, I’ve been doing business since I could hold a pen. Dark Rock Capital isn’t luck—it’s the result of every ruthless decision I’ve ever made."

"So you came here just to brag?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I came here because my plan was ruined, and apparently, you’re the one who made a fortune off it..."

"Tell me... how did you stop the money from going to the foundation?"

So that’s what this was really about. What a selfish bastard. He go billions in the bank and still scheming to take the Mercer family’s wealth.

"I’m not sure what you’re after, Mr. Sakamoto. My father left me his estate. That’s normal—right?" I shrugged, letting the casual question hang like bait.

He smiled without humor.

"You’d be wise to hand it back. The world’s darker than you think. Take what isn’t yours and you don’t just lose money, you make enemies who don’t play by the rules."

"Is that a threat?" I asked, my voice turning serious. This wasn’t a laughing matter anymore.

He stood, dusting off his suit like my words had dirtied it.

"I’m giving you advice, not threats. You’re still young—smart, but naïve. A few hundred million could buy you comfort for life. Don’t throw it all away hording more."

For a heartbeat the world narrowed until all I could see was his head. I pictured ripping it off and spitting on it, then kicking it into the dust.

Plenty of people got under my skin but this man lived on a whole different map.

"You’re getting nothing from me. Keep testing me and I’ll drag you into court. And while we’re at it — that fire? Sounds a lot like something you’d cook up."

"Is that your final decision?" He shook his head slowly. "I thought you were smart. Seems I overestimated you."

My heart started pounding. Suddenly, I felt like my life was literally in his hands.

But how?

There was no way this killing intent was coming from him. Not even Alexa was able to make feel this restless.

"You don’t look so good," he said, that smug little grin curling at the edge of his mouth. "My apologies. My bodyguard’s got no patience. Hard to keep an S rank on the leash. They tend to think rules are for everyone else."

Perfect. Barely got here, and I’m already being blackmailed. I kept my face steady. Lose it now, and I’d give him exactly what he wanted.

"’Mr. Sakamoto, don’t you think you’re overusing your wealth? S‑Ranks aren’t exactly disposable, and you’ve got one playing bodyguard.’"

He paused, clearly not expecting that kind of answer.

"Young man, you really amaze me. Still joking at a time like this? You need more discipline. " he raised his hand further.

thud!

I hit the ground hard, pinned by an invisible force that pressed down on me from above.

Moving would be easy if I used my Qi, but showing my real strength now would only make me a bigger target.

Besides, even if—by some miracle—I managed to beat an S-Rank, I’d still have to deal with the fallout afterward.

Self-defense? Not a chance. Dark Rock owns this city’s courts; they’ve likely greased every judge’s hand.

The other option was to run away — leave the city and gamble my life on the outskirts. Impractical. I couldn’t just abandon Ellie and the others.

So, I put on a show, struggling against the invisible force like my life depended on it.

I kicked, twisted, and groaned, every move exaggerated, making it look like I was completely pinned—while secretly keeping my Qi ready to shatter it if I needed to.

He watched me struggle with that smug little smile, enjoying every second of it.

There was no pity there, just the kind of satisfaction that comes from reminding someone exactly where they stand. Every breath I took probably fed his ego.

’Just you wait...’ I muttered under my breath, the words barely slipping past my clenched teeth