Chapter 4: Not Again

"If possible then I would like to borrow 100 million federation dollars from your family"

Leo had a weird look on his face as he heard what Ella said, He was prepared for her to something like the 'world will end in x years' or 'a zombie apocalypse is about to strike' or something of that sort.

"Why do you want such a huge amount of money?"

Although it wasn't much to him, a hundred million is still nonetheless a huge amount.

"You didn't reject right away which means that it is possible to give that amount...."

"My father is quite rich after all", Leo calmly said before she could make any more deductions.

"Are you able to convince your father to give such an amoun---", Ella was stopped mid-sentence by Leo.

"That isn't a problem you should be worried about"

A sharp look appeared in Leo's eyes as he continued.

"Tell me why should I ask my father to give you such an amount in the first place?"

"Although you are an ideal student with second best grades in our school, perhaps you might become a successful figure in the future as well but right now you have nothing worth a hundred million not to mention I just saved your life and you still had the guts to put up such a request.", Leo said in a sarcastic tone as he observed Ella's expression, he felt a bit disappointed seeing her having no reaction towards what he said.

Instead of replying to Leo, Ella raised her right hand then a miraculous scene happened as her hand caught fire, but instead of burning her the flame just kept on burning around her hand.

Feeling the heat coming from the arm, Leo knew that it wasn't some sort of cheap trick.

With a slight frown on his face, he said

"Superhuman?"

Instead of saying anything Ella just nodded her head.

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"So you are saying that for 100 million federation dollars you will agree to work for my family for 10 years?", Leo held his forehead as he recounted what Ella just promised him.

Ella standing opposite to him confidently nodded her head.

"You are so full of bullshit!"

The nearby soldiers were startled by the sudden cry.

Looking at Ella's confused expression Leo gritted his teeth and said.

"Are you making fun of us? Do you even know that with a hundred million my family can even employ the current most promising superhuman of the federation 'Ice Princess' to work as our gardener for twenty years? and guess what? she would be more than willing to become one as well!"

Ella's eyebrows scrunted together after hearing what Leo said.

"I am better than the Ice Princes-----"

"Says who?", Leo coldly cut her off as he said.

"You who just awakened are better than the Ice Princess? How? have you fought her before?", The slight change in Ella's expression didn't escape Leo's eyes.

"If you did then where is the proof?"

Ella who was about to say something suddenly shut herself up and fell silent.

Not getting any reply Leo was about to turn around and leave when a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"At least....."

Lightly biting down on her lips, Ella continued.

"Let me have a one-to-one talk with you're father before you refuse."

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Under the night sky, Leo calmly watched Mia and Ella as their families took them away.

"We should go home as well", Varsh said in a slightly tired voice as he called for the driver.

Following behind his father, Leo entered the black sedan.

"Are you friends with that girl Ella?"

Not expecting the sudden question, Leo replied in a casual tone.

"We're classmates at best. why did something happen?"

A visible frown appeared on Varsh's face as he said.

"She is a very disrespectful girl."

Leo was a bit taken back when he heard what his father said, after living with the old man for years Leo has come to a conclusion that it is very difficult to actually make his father annoyed.

Since Leo was little he had only ever seen his father slap his little sister only once and that too happened because she repeatedly refused to learn the alphabet.

"Did she say something rude?"

"Rude! Hah, that little girl has zero respect for her seniors! she was talking to me like I was her junior or something! I almost laughed from anger when I heard her ask for money instead of thanking me for saving her life!"

Leo had a blank look in his eyes as he looked at his father ranting like a little kid.

"Her parents on the other hand were using such a polite tone and kept thanking me profoundly, It made me doubt whether she was even their daughter, to begin with. From today onwards I will make sure that your little sister doesn't turn out like her"

Leo gave a silent prayer for his sister as he saw Varsh loosen up his tie with an annoyed face.

"Perhaps I am overreacting after all the girls were just kidnapped and probably aren't in the right state of mind right now...."

"So did you give her the money?"

"Of course I didn't! I don't have that kind of money anyway and even if I did I would have been a fool to have accepted your offer."

"Then did you tell her about me?"

"Don't think that you're father is an idiot, I knew you weren't interested in giving her money when you brought her to meet me.", Varsh said as he waved his hand.

"But why does she needs that much money anyway?"

Varsh thought back to the time when he was seventeen, he still remembers how happy he was when his father gave him 10 federation dollars for getting into university.

Suddenly Varsh remembered something as he looked at his 17-year-old billionaire son....

"Sigh the younger generation is indeed better than the older one....."

Leo raised his eyebrow when he heard what his father said.

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"Ah I remember that Ella also spouting some nonsense"

Touching his chin Varsh said in a casual voice.

"She said [Do not trust the Angle]....?"

"Tsk those stupid novels are really ruining the kids these days"

Varsh said it casually, he was unable to notice the slight change in Leo's expression.

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Leo and his father were repeatedly questioned by his mother when they came back home at such a late hour.

"Why were none of you picking up you're phone? do you know how worried I was? don't tell me you were with a girl..."

Leo managed to silently slip away in the middle of the lecture leaving his father to suffer alone.

Getting back in his room Leo looked at the time, it was four in the morning, although Leo wasn't feeling sleepy he still decided to lie down on the bed.

It was a good thing that school was over or he might have to take a holiday.

After lying on the bed for some time a faint sense of drowsiness hit Leo as he closed his eyes to sleep.

In the darkroom, the rhythmic breathing could be heard from Leo's bed, it seemed like everything was normal but then something which could not be explained by science happens.

When the small needle of the clock reached 6 am, A magic blue coloured magic circle that looked like it came straight out of some RPG game appeared above Leo's bed.

The magic circle started rotating as blue coloured dust dropped from it and covered Leo's body.

Suddenly Leo's eyebrows trembled as they shot open in a hurry, Looking at the magical circle above him made him think that he was still in some kind of dream but the feeling was all too real to be false.

Without a second thought, Leo tried to jump out of the bed, he didn't know what that strange circle was but it definitely does not seem to be anything good.

Unfortunately, Leo's attempts were futile as the blue sparkles on his skin seem to hold some kind of extraordinary power able to keep him in place.

With his body fixed in place, Leo looked at the magic circle which was slowly descending on him.

Unwilling to give up just like that Leo gritted his teeth and used all the strength in his body to move it towards the drawer to his left.

His veins bulged up as power far stronger than that of a normal human burst out from his body.

*Crack*

The bed Leo was lying on was unable to bear the pressure as it collapsed.

'A chance!', Leo shouted in his mind as he felt the extraordinary power keeping him in place weaken.

Using all of his strength, Leo used his left hand and grabbed the drawer to his left, In a hurry, he directly broke open the small door and grabbed the black box inside.

At the same time, the magic circle finally descended, it disappeared quickly leaving behind a broken bed with no traces of Leo left behind.

On this night more than a million people from all around the world of Equilibrium disappeared without a trace sending waves of panic throughout the world.

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Ella looked at the sky with an unmoving gaze.

"Everyone......"

Tightly gritting her teeth she continued.

"I will make sure that all of your sacrifices were not in vain"

"This time it will be different."

Faint traces of sunlight illuminated the alley, there were bodies of gangsters all over the bloody street, all of them had one thing in common, an expression of pure terror.

A flame lighted up the bodies, burning away any trace of their death.