The Combat Training Grounds of the Golden Leaf Academy were not built of dirt and wood, but of high-tensile glass and gravity-stabilizing stones. Above the arena, a massive scoreboard hovered, tracking the "Battle Power" of the students in real-time.
"The rules are simple," Professor Garrow barked, his eyes scanning the crowd of elite teenagers. "In Oros, a warrior is judged by the efficiency of their mana-burn. If you cannot defeat your opponent within the allotted energy budget, you have failed the market."
Kaelen stood at the edge of the circle, leaning on his white rowan cane. He looked fragile—the perfect bait.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] [Daily Survival Tax Countdown: 6 Hours.] [Current Progress: 450/2,500 KP.] [Warning: Failure to pay will result in 'Lethargic Debilitation'.]
"I'll take the beggar," Julian van Oros announced, stepping into the ring. He drew a rapier forged from sun-steel, the blade humming with high-frequency light. "Professor, I'd like to demonstrate the 'Sun-Streak' technique. It's expensive, but my father says quality is worth the investment."
The students cheered. Julian was a Tier 3 Swordsman; Kaelen, by all outward appearances, was a Tier 0 support mage with a limp.
"Saint Kaelen," Garrow said, frowning. "Do you accept the duel?"
"I am a man of peace," Kaelen said, his voice trembling slightly—a masterpiece of acting. "But if Lord Julian wishes to... instruct me, I cannot refuse."
[SKILL ACTIVATED: False Saint's Halo (Lv. 4)] [Audience Sentiment: 'Disgust at Julian's Bullying'.] [Karma Generated: +150 KP.]
Julian snorted. "Instruction begins now!"
He lunged. The rapier moved like a needle of light, aiming for Kaelen's shoulder. It was a flashy, high-mana move designed to humiliate, not kill.
Kaelen didn't dodge. He stood his ground and tapped his cane once.
[SKILL ACTIVATED: Tax Collector's Mark (Trigger)] [Condition: Physical contact or Proximity Link (Established in Ch. 24).] [Effect: Redirect Mana Flow.]
As the rapier's tip drew near, the Breaker's Omen ring on Kaelen's finger pulsed. To the observers, it looked like Julian simply missed—his blade skidding off an invisible "Holy Shield."
But Julian felt something different. He felt a sudden, sickening tug at his solar plexus. It was as if a straw had been inserted into his mana-core and someone had taken a long, deep drink.
"What—?" Julian stumbled, his sun-steel blade dimming. "My mana... it flickered."
"You should be careful, Lord Julian," Kaelen whispered as they crossed paths. "High-tier techniques are very taxing on the soul."
[NOTIFICATION] [Mana Siphoned from Target: Julian.] [Conversion Rate Applied...] [Karma Earned: +800 KP.]
Julian growled, his face turning a deep scarlet. "Again!"
He unleashed a flurry of strikes, each one more desperate than the last. To the crowd, it looked like Julian was pummeling a defensive Kaelen, who was barely surviving behind a flickering golden barrier. But the scoreboard told a different story.
Julian's Mana Level: 85%... 60%... 30%...
"Why won't you fall?!" Julian screamed, his lungs burning. He prepared his ultimate move, a Tier 3 explosion of light. He poured every remaining drop of his mana into the blade.
Kaelen saw the red "Hidden Debt" above Julian's head flare. This was the moment.
"I told you," Kaelen said, his eyes flashing violet for a split second. "You can't afford this fight."
As Julian swung, Kaelen didn't block. He reached out and caught the blade with his bare, ringed hand. The audience gasped. The expected explosion didn't happen. Instead, the golden light of the sword was sucked into Kaelen's palm like water down a drain.
Julian's eyes went wide. He felt his very strength leave him.
[CRITICAL SIPHON!] [Target: Julian is 'Bankrupt'.] [Karma Earned: +1,200 KP.]
Julian collapsed to his knees, his expensive rapier clattering to the glass floor. He was pale, shaking, and utterly drained of energy.
Kaelen stood over him, looking perfectly refreshed. He reached down and gently patted Julian's golden hair. "A valiant effort, Lord Julian. But perhaps you should spend more time in prayer and less on... expensive toys."
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] [Total Karma Collected: 2,600/2,500 KP.] [Daily Survival Tax: PAID.] [Surplus: 100 KP.]
The arena was silent. Then, a few students began to clap. Then more. The "Face-Slap" was complete. The underdog had "humbly" defeated the tyrant using nothing but "faith."
Garrow cleared his throat, looking baffled. "Winner... Saint Kaelen."
Kaelen bowed to the crowd, leaning back on his cane as if exhausted. But internally, he was looking at the Ledger. Julian wasn't just tired; the Tax Collector's Mark was now permanent. As long as Julian remained his rival, Kaelen had a walking, breathing ATM.
One debt paid, Kaelen thought. Only a trillion to go.
[NAME:] Kaelen [TOTAL DEBT:] -999,996,147,200 KP [STATUS:] Tax Paid (23 Hours until next payment).