CHAPTER 128: MILKING THE YOUNG MASTER!

"I know exactly what you want, Ozai," Bruce said. "So get straight to the point. Let’s get this over with."

The words hit Ozai like a slap.

His pride screamed, but the terror buried in his bones screamed louder.

Ozai forced himself not to flinch.

This was the first time someone outside the Thorne family had ever spoken to him with that tone. Anyone else would have lost their head for less.

But Bruce? Bruce wasn’t "anyone else."

Bruce Ackerman was the nightmare Ozai was praying wouldn’t haunt him for the rest of his life.

Ozai coughed lightly, masking the sting to what remained of his dignity.

"This... matter is a bit sensitive," he said quietly, leaning in just slightly. "Can I speak with you in private?"

His eyes flicked to Sophie.

And he nearly died of shame on the spot.

Because if Sophie, calm, divine, breathtaking Sophie, heard what he was about to ask...

He might never recover from the humiliation.

His family name might never recover.

Bruce’s eyes flickered with faint amusement.

And Sophie?

She simply raised a brow, her expression unreadable, but her presence alone made Ozai’s heart want to jump out of his throat.

He could barely look her in the eye.

Bruce nodded. "Ok..."

Bruce didn’t want to drag this moment out more than necessary. He complied easily, after all, he was planning to squeeze out everything he could from whatever Ozai would say next.

Ozai walked out of the lobby room toward the elevators, and Bruce followed calmly from behind.

Despite being the one leading the way, Ozai’s heart was a boiling mess of fear and despair. He had no idea how Bruce would react to the truths he was about to confess... and whatever Bruce decided afterward, there was absolutely nothing he could do.

In Ozai’s mind, Bruce and Sophie were the greatest threats to his plan, his desperate plan to prevent word of his humiliating death in the first trial from reaching the Thornes. If they found out... he didn’t even want to imagine the fallout.

As for Bale and Lucen... they didn’t stop either of them from leaving the gathering. After Bale finished, Lucen himself said the recruits were free to go or join the celebration upstairs. Their badges would be delivered to them at any Adventurer Guild branch within the coming days.

Ozai and Bruce passed through the lobby doors. The panels slid shut behind them with a quiet hiss.

Now completely alone with Bruce, Ozai coughed awkwardly.

"I won’t take too much of your time. Let me go straight to the point." His voice trembled even though he tried to steady it. "You know... I’m a Thorne. The trial was supposed to boost the sales of the smart bracelets, and I was meant to defeat you, to bring my family closer to the Reigns through Sophie. But I... failed. Miserably. So my plan now is to meet every recruit who participated and... offer anything within my means. Anything. As long as they keep silent about what happened to me."

Bruce’s gaze was emotionless. "I get your point. So what exactly do you plan to give me," he asked coldly, "that you think is enough to convince me to keep my mouth shut about your miserable defeat at my hands?"

Ozai’s breath hitched. That cold tone burrowed under his skin.

"Money," Ozai said quickly. "One million gold coins. Two million. Three, four, name your price."

"You think I’m that cheap?" Bruce narrowed his eyes, voice turning sharp as ice.

He had predicted this the moment Ozai died in the trial. He was mentally prepared. This was the moment to squeeze Ozai dry, to bleed him completely.

Ozai felt a chill crawl down his spine. Things were getting troublesome.

Bruce took one calm step closer.

"Fifty million."

Ozai’s heart nearly exploded.

His mouth opened in shock, but the words refused to come.

"F-Fifty—?!" His voice cracked so hard it barely counted as speech. "Bruce, that’s, that’s more than—"

Bruce tilted his head the slightest bit. "You said name my price. So I did."

Ozai felt sweat gather on his palms. "Bruce... please... that’s from my personal funds. I still have dozens of recruits to meet after this. I don’t know what some of the stubborn ones will demand. If I give you fifty million, I, I’ll literally be ruined!"

Bruce smiled.

A calm, quiet smile that terrified Ozai far more than anything else.

"With your Thorne background and influence," Bruce said, "it should be easy for you to shut them up. After all... everyone wants to curry favor with the young master of the Thorne family. No one wants to end up on your bad side."

Ozai wished that was true. He wished it with all of his heart.

"If only it was that simple," he muttered bitterly. "There are still troublesome ones like Jean..."

Bruce’s smile widened just a bit. "Sixty."

Ozai nearly collapsed.

"You, Bruce, please, sixty... sixty million...?!"

Bruce shrugged. "Alright. I won’t raise it any further."

If Ozai had a heart made of glass, it shattered right then and there. But he could only swallow his despair and nod with a broken expression.

"...Fine," he whispered. "I accept."

His chest felt hollow. His soul felt wrung dry. He had truly been ripped apart by this monster.

"Good," Bruce said. "Then hand it over."

Ozai reached into his pocket with trembling fingers, pulled out a silver ring, and held it out.

"Before that... please do a blood contract," Ozai said weakly. "Just to be sure..."

"No." Bruce’s voice turned cold enough to freeze bone. "If you don’t trust my word, then forget the entire deal."

Ozai clenched his teeth so hard it physically hurt. "Alright... alright. No blood contract."

He handed Bruce the ring with both hands.

"It’s a spatial artifact," he said quietly. "The money is inside. If... if you ever want to pay me back for the artifact itself... you can do it whenever. I’m not rushing."