35: My favor - Part 2

The scammer leaned back against the wall, a smug grin curling on his lips as he surveyed Liam. 

"The name's Henry Lowswell. You should remember it, kid. My story is one of betrayal, loss, and a relentless quest for justice. I was wronged, abandoned, and left to rot in the streets. But I rose from the ashes, stronger and more determined than ever."

 He raised a hand, eyes gleaming with a mix of pride and bitterness. 

"And now? Now, I have power. Power that you could never understand."

Liam's eyes glazed over as Henry continued on with his story, speaking as though he were reciting a Shakespearean monologue. 

The man was clearly relishing every word, his voice growing increasingly impassioned as he spoke of his alleged hardship.

Liam tried to pay attention—he really did—but his mind was elsewhere. It wasn't that he didn't care; he just didn't care about Henry's sob story.

 And to be perfectly honest, the whole thing felt overly theatrical and a bit ridiculous. He glanced at the floor, tapping his fingers absently against his leg, his mind wandering.

Then, it happened.

He yawned.

It was a huge, obvious yawn—one that he couldn't stop, no matter how hard he tried. His body felt heavy, his exhaustion from the day catching up to him. 

He didn't even think about it until the sound of Henry's voice abruptly stopped mid-sentence.

Henry stood still, his eyes narrowing dangerously. The air between them thickened, and for the first time since the encounter began, Liam felt a shift in the atmosphere.

Liam blinked and noticed Henry's expression had shifted from confident to something darker. 

"You dare yawn in my presence?

" Henry hissed, stepping closer. His fingers twitched as if ready to strike.

Liam opened his mouth to apologize, but before he could, a warning flashed in his mind.

[System Alert: Killing intent detected. Immediate caution advised.]

Liam stiffened, immediately on alert. The words were chilling—he had been in danger before, but this was different. This wasn't just a physical threat. This was something far more menacing.

His heart rate quickened as Henry's grin returned, but it was no longer one of smug superiority. There was malice behind it now.

"You're lucky. I need you alive, kid. But I won't hesitate to make an example of you. Not if you keep disrespecting me."

Liam's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Henry was clearly unhinged, his behavior becoming more erratic by the second.

And then, with a swift motion, Henry produced a cloth from his pocket, soaked with some kind of liquid. 

Before Liam could react, Henry lunged at him, pressing the cloth to Liam's face with alarming force.

Liam's first instinct was to resist, but instead, he allowed himself to fall limp. 

The cloth's scent was sharp, chemical—Liam knew immediately it was some sort of knockout agent. 

But as the liquid made contact with his skin, he felt no effect. The magic within him reacted instinctively, warding off any attempt to compromise his senses. Liam was fine.

He allowed himself to collapse, just as Henry intended, but he knew better than to be caught off guard. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

Henry grinned, believing the job was done. 

"You see? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

He muttered to himself, letting go of Liam's body, which slumped to the floor in a dramatic heap.

But Liam wasn't done.

Before Henry could even fully bask in his supposed victory, Liam's eyes snapped open.

His magic surged, and in an instant, he vanished from the spot where he had been. Henry blinked in confusion, staring at the empty space where Liam had been moments before.

"What the—? Where did he go?" 

Henry stammered. 

Liam reappeared a few feet away, standing tall and unbothered, his expression bored. 

"Really? This is what you're going to try on me?" 

He asked, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Henry froze. His eyes widened in horror as he stumbled back, his mind racing. 

"Y-You… How did you-? How—how is that possible" 

He whispered, his voice trembling. 

Liam crossed his arms, an eyebrow raised in amusement. 

The scammer seemed to be trying to justify to himself what happened, and he finally reached a conclusion he felt satisfied with.

"No… it can't be… Magic," 

Henry whispered, his breath quickening. 

He was losing it. The sight of Liam using magic had broken something inside of him. It was as if the foundation of his entire world was crumbling, and he couldn't handle it.

"You're not supposed to be able to do that! You—you're not supposed to exist! Magic is not supposed to exist!" 

Henry shouted, his voice wild. 

But Liam, no longer interested in playing games, simply turned his back. 

"You were right about one thing, Henry. You'll never see me again."

With that, Liam stepped forward and cast another spell, creating a portal to escape the madness. Henry's last words were a string of incoherent babble, but they were drowned out by the sound of the portal closing behind Liam.

As Liam vanished from sight, Henry was left to crumble under the weight of his own broken mind. The scammer had underestimated him, and now, it seemed, he would pay the price for it.

"N-No way! I need to tell everyone about this. I cannot allow this discovery to go unnoticed. Once my boss knows, he will-"

Henry spoke in a low voice. He was ready to reveal the truth of what happened to everyone when he felt a sudden pain in his chest. He looked down, only to see a hole in his chest.

"W-What happened-"

Henry questioned, but before he could he could even finish, his body fell down and he lost consciousness. Blood pooled around him as he died slowly.

Two figures walked toward him from the shadows and one of them looked at Henry with disdain.

"Looks like the boss was right once more. I cannot believe how much filth we have accumulated in the organization. Tsk, we will need to do some deep-cleaning. Now, shall we take care of this place as well?"