The Broken Halo

Chapter 288: 288: Win The Battle But Lose The War

The leaders were curious and intrigued about Akaza’s words, especially about the quantity of merits the First Years had.

Five thousand, four thousand, and even a thousand merits was not little.

One just had to look at the weekly stipend of the First Years, and even the Second Years to know that a thousand merits was not little.

However, they could not obviously just believe Akaza like that.

“So, you want to betray your master, dog?” The leader of the Vipers Nest said with dripping mockery and disdain in his voice.

Akaza indifferently looked at him. “Is it abnormal for me to betray him, Balafar? Why would I want him to sit on my throne?”

The leader of the Stone Crushers, Agramormos, instantly laughed.

“Your throne? How ludicrous.” His rough and deep voice boomed in the classroom.

“If not because of you, the Iron Fangs would be no more. The Iron Fangs are weaker than us, and you know that.”

Agramormos looked at Akaza from up to down with dripping disdain.

“A king who is now the slave of a slave. How pathetic. If you had backers like us, you would not be in your current position right now.”

Akaza’s right fist was clenched so tightly that veins could be seen across his arm.

“I dare you to say those words right in front of my face. Say them, and see if you won’t lose an arm or two.” He said coldly while emitting thick killing intent in the air.

Agramormos went silent, and the expressions of Balafar and Tibat-the leader of the Black Thorns- changed.

Despite the fact that they mocked Akaza, they both knew that Akaza was not somebody they could mess with.

He was stronger than them, and he was also from one of the six main clans.

There was a reason why Akaza was regarded as the pillar of the Iron Fangs.

Tibat decided to diffuse the situation. If she allowed things to escalate, then the situation would become a lot more ugly.

“Akaza, calm down. Tell us what exactly you want from us. We’re not here to fight.”

Her calm voice instantly reduced the tension in the air, and Akaza gave her a glance.

“If you’re not here to fight, then do not mock me.”

Balafar was about to speak, but Tibat was faster.

“No problem.” She nodded. “Tell us what you want from us.”

Akaza remained silent for a moment, then he exhaled deeply and released his clenched fist and his aura.

“Like I said, the First Years are richer than we know and expected, and I want you to take their money.”

Balafar could not help but scoff in disdain.

“Do you think we’re fools? We know about the bet. So, you want us to attack and extort your Master’s classmates, then you and Iron Fangs will now swoop in, betray us, and ’protect’ his classmates, thereby winning the bet and five thousand merits would be given to your master.”

Agramormos nodded in agreement with Balafar’s words.

“He’s right, Akaza. If this is your plan or your master’s plan to win the bet, then I must say that you and your master are not smart.”

Agramormos looked at Akaza from up to down with disdain.

“I wonder how he even got you to-”

“Enough, Agramormos.”

Tibat immediately cut off Agramormos since she already knew what he was going to say, and she could also feel the growing killing intent from Akaza.

She looked at Akaza.

“Akaza, is this truly your plan? You want us to attack the First Years, while you and the Iron Fangs come in to betray us?”

Akaza sneered at Tibat’s question.

“You fools, I want Broken Halo to die. I want him to fail the bet. That’s why I’m meeting with you. Do you think I want to remain a slave?”

Balafar scoffed while looking at his nails.

“My people have asked around, but nobody knows why exactly you’re following that slave. Who knows if you have no other choice but to become his slave.”

Akaza’s left eye twitched, and he had an immense urge to beat the shit out of Balafar.

“Akaza, convince us that you’re not doing this just so that we can be used by your master as tools for his bet. We’re interested in the merits of the First Years.”

Once again, Tibat diffused the tension in the air, and Akaza looked at her.

“There are three ways by which Broken Halo can fail the bet.”

“The first is that nobody or nothing attacks the First Years for three days. The second is that the First Years are able to overcome whatever danger comes at them with their own power. And the third method is something many would ignore.”

Tibat raised a curious brow. “And what is the third method?”

“If he fails to protect his classmates from the danger or attack that befalls them.”

Balafar, Agramormos, and Tibat were surprised. They looked at Akaza curiously.

“How would that make him fail the bet with his four classmates? The bet is not for the slave to protect his classmates, but for his classmates to not be able to deal with the attack or danger that befalls them.”

“If they cannot handle it or if they ask for his help, he wins the bet. So how would he fail the bet if he fails in protecting his classmates?” Balafar asked with a frown, echoing the thoughts of the remaining two leaders.

Akaza nodded. “You’re right, but what you don’t know is that he might win the battle but he’ll be losing the war at the end of the day.”

Agramormos, Tibat, and Balafar frowned in confusion.

“Even if he wins the bet because those four classmates of his request for his protection, if he fails in protecting them or his classmates, he’ll lose the protection of the laws of the academy.”

“Instructor Valdin is actually not pleased with him, and if he and the other Instructors and authorities of the school sees that Simon is not able to carry out the ’protection’ after collecting the ’protection fee’, they can ban him from extorting his classmates.”

The eyes of Balafar, Tibat, and Agramormos flashed with glints of realization.

“If that happens, he’ll lose his source of income, and we all know that to advance and become stronger at a fast pace, one needs merits to exchange for hell stones.”

“If he doesn’t have merits, his more talented classmates in terms of bloodline would eventually become stronger than him, and it won’t be a surprise if he dies by the hands of one of his classmates.”