Chapter 150: _Knockoff Disney Villain

"Han Jae-won." The name rolled out of Ambrose’s mouth with enough spite to cut. "I almost forgot your existence. Didn’t expect to see you this early. What, ran out of people to annoy?"

The Guide nearly faltered as he walked closer.

Once again Ambrose’s newly found sharp tongue made him raise brows. And made him all the more eager to crush him like a bug under his boots.

"Peachy, Rory," Han answered with a fake smile of his own, giving Dr Kelly an acknowledging nod. "Just came to check on my team from the recent B-Rank dungeon raid. Some of us have to work around here instead of lying in bed like a sick Victorian child."

Ambrose’s eyes glinted.

Colour him impressed.

"So many words from you. But then—should you be one to talk when all your teammates came out injured while you look cleaner than that receding hairline?" He paused, lifting a finger. "Unless, of course, you barely did anything other than ’Guiding’. Takes away the point of being called a Hunter, doesn’t it?"

It was at this juncture that Dr Kelly cleared her throat. "Uhm," she managed a faint smile. "It was nice talking to you... Mr Hale."

The moment she eased into the infirmary, shutting the door behind her, Han’s smile vanished.

"I see that coma added more wings to your collection," he harrumphed. "You might think being around Devon gives you protection but—"

"Oh, yeah." Ambrose caught himself grinning from ear to ear. "We do use protection. Thanks for asking. Anything else?"

Han’s cheeks burned red. He looked like he was going to vomit and explode all at once. "How vulgar," he spat. "You think this is funny? Huh?"

He took two steps closer until Ambrose got a whiff of that annoying minty breath.

"I think everything about you is funny. And pathetic." Ambrose uttered flatly. "Devon has moved on. So have I. And honestly? This knock-off Disney villain persona you’ve taken on has turned you into nothing but a total joke."

"A joke?"

"I didn’t stutter."

Han’s jaw tensed.

For a beat, he almost forgot everything his sister told him and was ready to draw out his weapons and teach this fool a lesson. Yet—there was something different.

After the Vatican City summit, he hadn’t been sure at first. But now he could sense it. Everything from Ambrose’s posture to his aura made him feel like he could eliminate him in a breath.

And he didn’t want to test that theory.

’How?’ his mental voice was fractured. ’He’s only a C-Rank. He shouldn’t make me hesitant at all. He should be nothing but a speck of dust beneath my nails.’

His fists clenched so hard his knuckles snapped.

Meanwhile, seeing Han’s silence, Ambrose took a couple of steps away from him, gesturing at the door. "Don’t let me get in your way."

The A-Rank didn’t move or say anything for a few seconds. He just glared at Ambrose so long that the latter almost thought lasers would shoot out of those dark eyes.

God, what did the past Ambrose see in this guy?

Finally, Han lumbered to the door, swinging it open slowly. He cut Ambrose one final, measured look, lips stretching in a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

"We’ll see who’s ’joking’ at the end of this."

Then—he waltzed into the room, slamming the door behind him.

Ambrose scoffed. "Fucking moron."

His gaze scoured the security cameras around the hallway. If it weren’t for them and the fact that Doctor Kelly saw them before she left, he would’ve considered freezing the guy’s skull.

Maybe blame it on the humidity.

He calmed himself, inching toward the door lite. His eyes narrowed on Han as he moved to the beds at the opposite end of the room.

It took him a few seconds to recognise two of the hospitalised Espers. They were some of the guys Han always took around—the same ones who beat him up when he newly transmigrated.

The same ones who caused trouble for him when he was back from Vatican City.

A ghost of a smirk played on his lips. "Don’t worry, Han," he murmured. "You’ll all get your reckoning. Sooner than you could ever imagine..."

★★★★★

Blue Diamond Academy

"Oh my gosh, is that Hunter Devon?"

"It’s... It’s really him."

"What’s he doing in our school?"

"Wait—isn’t that the kid someone took pictures of at the city’s park? Like... over a week ago."

"And that guy walking with him. He was also in the pictures!"

These were some of the gossip circulating after Ambrose, Devon and Orion stepped into the school premises.

Hmph.

’That guy walking with him’.

Ambrose rolled his eyes at the obvious contrast between his popularity and Devon’s. But then again, he kinda preferred it this way.

He doubted if he could handle all this attention as gracefully as the S-Rank. A few remarks too many and he’d be bolting back into his room.

"Mr Ferguson." At the end of the ground floor hallway was an office door where a woman stood waiting for them.

She had ashen grey hair made in a bob and was dressed in a crimson velvet top and a black pencil skirt. Her lips stretched in a friendly curve as she brought her hand to Devon.

The latter shook her. "Thanks for agreeing to see us, Mrs Sullivan."

"Why of course. Always a pleasure speaking to a member of the Ferguson family."

Ambrose studied the woman keenly.

First impression... The school’s principal seemed to be big on favouritism. Welp. This was already looking like a disaster and they hadn’t even sat.

Soon enough, they headed into the office, sitting on the chairs in front of the woman’s desk. Once she sat as well, she cleared her throat.

"I’d like to thank you once again for choosing our academy," she began with the practiced words. "Blue Diamond Academy is a prestigious institution that prides itself on finding and growing raw talent."

Her gaze travelled to Ambrose briefly before landing on Orion. There was a hint of surprise behind her eyes but it disappeared just as fast. "He looks so much like you, Mr Ferguson."

Ugh.

More boot kissing.

Ambrose rested his hands on his legs, rolling his thumbs around.

After a beat, the woman pulled up a folder and cleared her throat. "Alright. Before we begin I’d have to go over some basic questions."

The last word made Ambrose’s throat dry up all of a sudden.

Questions.

Lord, that shit should have a trigger warning.

"Sure." Devon nodded, arching a curious brow as the woman focused on him.

She didn’t waste another moment. "What school did he attend before this?"

Ambrose’s heart beat stuttered.

There it fucking was. Exhibit A on why he didn’t want to do this to begin with.

Before either of them could answer, Mrs Sullivan’s smile thinned.

"Because... I checked the national registry this morning." She tilted her head. "And there’s no record of him anywhere."