Sky Qi shrugged with an awkward smile, acting like it was none of his business. "Don't look at me! Why are you so sure it was me?"

Molin couldn't lose her temper on stage. This guy had bumped into her hours earlier and now disrupted her concert.

Damn guy. How long would he keep this up?

A slight smirk tugged at Sky Qi's lips. So this was the mighty Empire Idol, resorting to charm magic just to boost her popularity.

But he didn't want trouble now. Dispelling this annoying magic was enough. Doing more would make him a real party crasher—and that wouldn't end well.

Even without magic, Molin's popularity remained sky-high. The crowd wasn't frenzied anymore, but many still rushed forward with flowers.

Boring. Sky Qi yawned. This had nothing to do with him now. He couldn't even afford dinner tonight, let alone flowers. Sleeping on the streets awaited him.

Hmm? Sky Qi sensed a trace of something off again. A stronger wave of charm magic began spreading from the front rows.

Still not giving up? With me here? Sky Qi raised his right hand flat. A massive gust erupted from his palm, purging the magic mid-flow. On stage, Molin stumbled back a step.

Too much! Molin pouted, furious. What did this guy mean by ruining her show again and again?

"Stop. This is pointless in front of me." Sky Qi met her gaze, expression unchanging, as if he'd done nothing unusual.

Don't snap! Must not snap! She was the Empire Idol. How could she stoop to squabble with some nobody?

She tried to calm down. Couldn't hold it! She wanted to fight this jerk! Rage flared within her. An invisible mental shockwave shot toward Sky Qi.

Crap. She'd released it by accident. That shockwave could kill or shatter the mind of a weaker mage.

Hmph. More charm magic? Useless. His expression shifted slightly. Not charm magic? A mental shockwave? Damn it—aimed right at him?

He hadn't expected Molin to attack openly, undetected. He'd only noticed when the shockwave was almost on him.

The Sea of Magic surged violently to resist. The shockwave, like a lightning bolt, was swallowed instantly—torn apart and dissolved within the sea.

Ugh. That shockwave would've been deadly to a normal person. Since it wasn't locked on, he hadn't dodged to avoid hitting innocents.

Molin realized she'd overestimated it. That power couldn't hurt him. No need to dodge—he'd just tanked it with the Sea of Magic.

He looked so relaxed. His face practically said, "Try me if you dare."

Fine. Ignore him.

"Well then, that's all for tonight. I hope everyone had fun!" Molin said softly, her voice like honey melting worries away.

"Yes! We'll definitely have fun!"

"Over already? Guess I'll come back tomorrow night."

"Tch. You don't know her fee is nearly a million gold coins per show. We should be grateful."

Hearing the whispers, Sky Qi nearly spat blood. What the hell? A million gold per show? His missions paid only one percent of that?

Damn it. Why bother being the Continent Strongest? He should just use charm magic and become an idol like her.

Nah. With so many strong experts around, the Unicorn Mage Mask might not hide him forever. If his identity got out, it'd be embarrassing. Plus, with so many hunters after him, idol life would mean constant show-crashing.

Better stick to dirty jobs. Even bricklaying on the Great Wall sounded better.

The magic circle glowed again, smoke swirling. Molin vanished within it.

Finally gone. Sky Qi shook his head. Calling him a hero? Ridiculous.

He was just a killing machine fighting for himself and profit.

If he had money, he'd skip the dirty work.

But Cassius Academy offered scholarships. His eyes sparkled with greed. That'd solve his money problems for good.

Then his gaze dimmed. Cassius Academy's enrollment was still a week away.

A whole week sleeping rough? Sky Qi shivered. That was terrible news.

The night market was mostly ordinary folks. A few low-level mages or swordsmen blended in, indistinguishable from commoners—only Sky Qi's detecting gaze caught their energy fluctuations.

Starving! He hadn't eaten since drinking blood while tied to the Vampire Princess's bed.

Not dizzy-hungry yet, but weakness crept in. Just thinking about his two gold coins made his stomach ache.

"Fresh Wolfen buns! One gold for ten!" A petite, blonde girl called out.

Wolfen buns? People exchanged uneasy glances. Made from Wolfen meat? That sounded horrifying. How could anyone eat it?

Just seeing the Wolfen head hanging at her stall killed appetites. The bloody innards made some gag; others bent over, vomiting.

"Hey kid, why sell such gross stuff?"

"Yeah, whose child sells this?"

"Stop. I feel sick just looking. If anyone buys it, I'll eat my own crap live on stream."

The girl looked pitiful under the adults' scolding. She hurried to explain, "Big brothers, Wolfen meat is actually delicious."

"Pah!" A man in fancy robes spat on the ground. "Lies. No one eats that. If someone buys it, I'll give you a thousand gold. Little sister, come with me—I'll make you rich without lifting a finger."

He eyed her small frame greedily. He loved little girls like this—especially how fun they were to torment.

Sky Qi perked up at the commotion. One gold for ten buns? Holy crap! So cheap?

Starving, he didn't care if it was Wolfen buns or bird buns. He'd eat anything.

Sky Qi pulled out two gold coins and shouted, "Boss! Twenty Wolfen buns!"