The tension in the room was suffocating. Caesar Nn stood abandoned by his own men, his empire of false loyalty crumbling around him. I remained seated, watching the drama unfold with detached curiosity.


    "The Ashworths?" Scarface paused, his scarred eye narrowing as he studied me more carefully. "You''re connected to the Ashworth family of Veridia City?"


    Caesar nodded desperately. "Yes! Liam Knight is their... their associate! You know what that means, Victor. Even you wouldn''t dare cross them."


    I nearlyughed at Caesar''s transparent attempt to use my name as a shield. The man who had barely acknowledged my existence hours ago was now fabricating connections to save his skin.


    Scarface''s demeanor shifted subtly. The name "Ashworth" clearly carried weight, even with someone of his power. He took a step back, reassessing the situation.


    "Is that so?" Scarface directed his question at me, his voice measured. "You''re with the Ashworths?"


    Before I could answer, Caesar''s men suddenly found their voices again.


    "Mr. Nn, you never mentioned this connection," one guard said, looking at me with newfound respect—or at least fear.


    Ellis Mitchell stopped his theatrical moaning long enough to stare at me with suspicion from his position on the floor. "The Ashworths? That''s impossible."


    Scarface raised a hand, silencing the room. "If you truly represent the Ashworth family''s interests, then you''re free to leave." He gestured toward the door. "My quarrel is with Caesar alone."


    I took a sip of water, letting the silence stretch ufortably. Caesar was looking at me with pleading eyes, his entire body trembling. This man had built his fortune on backstabbing and deceit, including whatever he''d done to Victor fifteen years ago. Yet here I sat, supposedly hisst hope.


    "I made a promise to help Caesar tonight," I finally said, my voice calm. "I intend to keep it."


    Relief flooded Caesar''s face, but it was short-lived.


    "However," I continued, looking directly at Scarface, "I have no connection whatsoever to the Ashworth family."


    Caesar''s expression copsed. "What are you doing?" he hissed, panic rising in his voice. "Don''t say that!"


    Scarface''s mouth curled into a predatory smile. "I thought as much. Caesar always was fond of desperate lies."


    "You fool!" Caesar shouted at me, hisposurepletely gone. "You''ve killed us both!"


    I shrugged. "I won''t pretend to be something I''m not just to save your skin, Caesar."


    The businessman''s face contorted with rage and fear. "Then why stay? Why not leave when he gave you the chance?"


    "Because I gave my word," I said simply.


    Scarface let out a deep, rumblingugh. "Honor? In Caesar''spany? Now that is unexpected." He stepped forward again, his focus returning to Caesar. "Your little ploy has failed. No one ising to save you."


    Caesar backed away until he hit the wall. His eyes darted around frantically, looking for an escape route, finding none. His guards remained rooted in ce, unwilling to risk their lives.


    "Please," Caesar whimpered. "Victor, we were friends once. Partners. Whatever happened—"


    "Whatever happened?" Scarface''s voice dropped dangerously low. "You know exactly what happened. You left me to burn, Caesar. Left me screaming in agony as the mes ate my flesh."


    I watched the exchange with interest. Caesar''s terror was genuine, as was Scarface''s hatred. Fifteen years of plotting revenge had hardened the scarred man into something dangerous and imcable.


    "I''ll give you anything," Caesar pleaded. "Money, property, shares in mypanies—name your price!"


    "I told you my price." Scarface took another step closer. "Kneel."


    Caesar''s legs seemed to give out as he slid down the wall, not quite kneeling but no longer standing either. Tears welled in his eyes as the full weight of his situation crashed down on him.


    I stood up slowly, drawing both men''s attention.


    "I have a counter-offer," I said calmly.


    Scarface looked at me with mild amusement. "You? What could you possibly offer me?"


    "Not to you," I rified. "To Caesar."


    Caesar blinked in confusion. "What?"


    I turned to face the businessman directly. "Ten percent of Ellis Mitchell''s shares in exchange for saving your life and your face tonight."


    "What?" Ellis squawked from the floor, suddenly forgetting his injuries.


    Caesar stared at me in disbelief. "You''re... bargaining? Now?"


    "Business is business," I replied with a slight smile. "Isn''t that what you always say?"


    Scarfaceughed, genuinely amused now. "This is entertaining, I''ll give you that." He flexed his hand, energy beginning to gather around his fingertips. "But ytime is over."


    He lunged forward with blinding speed, fingers extended toward Caesar''s face like a de. Caesar screamed, covering his face with his hands in a futile gesture.


    I moved without thinking. With a flick of my fingers, I sent a single droplet of water from my ss flying through the air. Infused with my energy, it struck Scarface''s hand just before it reached Caesar.


    Scarface pulled back with a sharp hiss, shaking his hand as if burned. A small red welt had formed where the water droplet had struck.


    The room fell silent. Every eye turned to me in shock.


    "That..." Scarface stared at his hand, then at me, reassessing everything. "You have Inner Strength?"


    I didn''t correct him. Let him think what he wanted about the nature of my power.


    "Ten percent of Ellis''s shares," I repeated to Caesar, who was still cowering against the wall. "Do we have a deal?"


    "Yes!" Caesar gasped, clutching at this unexpected lifeline. "Yes, anything you want!" <var ss="frag-946f5d">My<i ss="node-sep"></i>Virtual<i ss="node-sep"></i>Library<i ss="node-sep"></i>Empire<i ss="node-sep"></i>(*)<i ss="node-sep"></i>hosts<i ss="node-sep"></i>the<i ss="node-sep"></i>original.</var>


    Ellis began to protest but fell silent when Caesar shot him a venomous re.


    "Good." I turned back to Scarface. "Now, perhaps we can discuss this situation more civilly."


    The scarred man''s expression had changed. What had been amusement was now careful calction as he studied me with new interest.


    "You''re full of surprises," he said slowly. "But you''ve made a grave miscalction."


    The air around Scarface began to shimmer as he released his true power. The pressure in the room became suffocating, forcing Caesar''s men to their knees. Even I felt the weight of it pressing down on me, though I remained standing.


    "You think because you can channel a bit of Inner Strength that you''re my equal?" Scarface''s voice had taken on a reverberating quality that seemed toe from everywhere at once. "Let me show you the difference between us."


    The energy radiating from him was unlike anything I''d encountered before. It was dense, refined, and terrifyingly controlled. This wasn''t just power—this was mastery.


    Caesar, who had just begun to hope again, slumped back in despair. "We''re doomed," he whispered. "He''s not just any cultivator. He''s an Inner Strength Grandmaster."


    Scarface smiled coldly as Caesar spoke the title, confirming it without words. The scar on his face seemed to pulse with energy, giving him an otherworldly appearance.


    "I could have taken what I wanted fifteen years ago," he said, his eyes locked on Caesar. "I had the power even then. But I wanted you to build your empire first, Caesar. I wanted you to climb to the heights of sess, to believe yourself untouchable."


    He took a step forward, and the floor beneath his feet cracked from the pressure of his energy.


    "So that when I tore it all down, you would fall that much further."


    Caesar was sobbing openly now, all pretense of dignity abandoned. Ellis Mitchell had crawled to a corner, trying to make himself invisible. The guards were pressed against the walls, paralyzed by fear.


    I stood my ground, evaluating my options. The power difference between us was significant, but not insurmountable. The techniques I''d gained in the Water Dragon Cave were stillrgely untested—this might be the perfect opportunity to see what I was truly capable of.


    Scarface fixed his gaze on me, his scarred eye gleaming with malevolent energy.


    "I offered you a chance to walk away. You should have taken it." His voice dropped to a menacing whisper as the full force of his aura filled the room. "This time, I''vee back solely for revenge!"