Reborn with Infinity Money System, I was Worshipped by All Universes!

"I'm going to try bestowing the Tycoon Mark upon you both now."

"But listen—there's only one shot at this. You must make a sincere, wholehearted decision to be loyal to the Tycoon Club and to the Head."

"If you can't receive the Tycoon Mark, then there's nothing even I can do to help."

Kidd took a deep breath and placed his right hand on Mark's.

Boom!

The instant their hands made contact, a mysterious surge of power exploded from Kidd's palm, blasting Mark backward.

He stumbled more than ten steps before managing to stabilize himself, then shook his head with a bitter smile.

"My heart still wavers. As the 23rd Commander of the Holy Light Temple… I guess I just can't let go of it."

Kidd's expression turned solemn.

He understood. That was just Mark's fate.

"Forget it," said Lucas with a shrug before Kidd could even reach toward him. "No need to try me. I feel the same way. I can't let go of the Holy Light Temple either."

"Go on," Mark said firmly. "Leave the Temple and explore the world."

"You're lucky to have crossed paths with someone like Velen. Do your best to grow the Tycoon Club. One day, when you make a name for yourself, I'll proudly tell the world, 'Kidd of the Tycoon Club was once my disciple!'"

Kidd's eyes welled up with emotion. He dropped to his knees before Mark.

"Mentor," he said resolutely, "I will always be your disciple."

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Three solemn kowtows. Then Kidd rose and turned to walk out of the grand hall.

"Kidd!"

Mark's voice rang out just as Kidd was about to cross the threshold. "You may possess the Judgment Sword Intent now, but your overall strength is still too low. Be careful out there!"

Boom!

Blood surged from Kidd's body, and behind him, a phantom figure formed—blurry and indistinct, wielding twin swords in either hand.

"Don't worry, Mentor. Your disciple can protect himself," Kidd replied confidently, his blood-red eyes gleaming with power.

Holy Light Temple.

A one-eyed, red-haired man was training a group of young talents—Rabbit, Senator Ethan, Apollo—when he suddenly paused, sensing something.

A grin spread across his face.

"So, it's finally begun."

Just then, a little girl munching on a magical candy appeared behind him.

"Let's fight," she said, her tone flat. "I'm really mad right now."

With those words, she tucked away her candy, and eerie blood-red runes began to swirl across her small body. The cute little girl vanished—replaced by a terrifying presence.

Hahahaha!

The one-eyed man burst into laughter. Of course he knew why she was mad.

With a sudden snap, the bloody stump of his left arm regenerated in the blink of an eye, and a thin, crimson sword appeared in his hand.

"Bring it on, then! You think I'm scared of you?!"

He charged, becoming a streak of blood-red light as his twin blades slashed toward the girl.

Uno Kingdom, Commander Kris's Residence.

"Dang it—I came back too soon!"

Velen stepped out of his room, feeling annoyed. He still had a full day to kill and could've spent more time wandering the Dark Eye Galaxy.

In the nearby courtyard, Justin was still painting a portrait of Commander Kris. Velen glanced over, then sighed.

"Whatever. Might as well take another stroll through the royal capital."

He left the manor and walked the streets of the city.

"Come on! I'm ranked 100th on the Rising Magi Rankings now—why is no one showing up to challenge me?"

Velen pouted as he strolled, feeling rather disappointed.

He even considered pulling an "Aedida"—going around talking to himself in public, loudly announcing, "I'm the genius ranked 100th on the Rising Magi Rankings!"

Meanwhile, in a tavern guest room…

Aedida found himself cornered.

"Leon, why have you blocked me in here?"

Glancing at the old man standing silently off to the side, Aedida focused his attention on the white-robed youth in front of him.

"The Rising Magi Rankings were just updated," Leon replied flatly. "You defeated Nico, but before the list refreshed, you were then defeated by someone named Velen."

"I'm here to find out more about this Velen."

"Velen?" Aedida blinked. "What's there to know?"

Leon tossed over a copy of the updated Rankings. Aedida caught it—and froze when he read the line under Velen's name.

Rank 100: Velen (Defeated Aedida through a special method)

What the—?!

He was dumbfounded.

That actually counted?!

He had assumed that both he and Velen would be kicked off the Rankings entirely—maybe even blacklisted by the Hall of Magi.

But this?! Spending money now counted as a special method of victory?!

Leon's gaze sharpened. "You don't have to hide anything. With this kind of note on the Rankings, lots of people are going to start looking for you."

"This is the first time the Rankings have ever included that kind of annotation. He might be 100th now, but no one knows how far he'll go. Everyone wants to know what kind of person they're dealing with."

Leon's tone dropped lower.

"And you should already know who truly controls the Hall of Magi—the Tarot Order. You wouldn't dare lie to them, would you?"

Aedida gave a bitter laugh. "Leon, if I told you he bought my spot on the Rankings, would you believe me?"

Leon's expression darkened instantly.

"I'm not messing with you!" Aedida blurted. "I swear—it's true. He gave me one million low-grade mana crystals and I let him take the win!"

To prove it, Aedida pulled out the space ring.

It pained him, but he knew—if he couldn't convince Leon, this Rank 89 genius might just kill him on the spot.

Leon stared at the ring in silence for a moment, then nodded coldly.

"Whether it's true or not, I'll let you off today. But only because of this one million mana crystal bribe."

He turned to leave.

But the old man beside him didn't follow.

"Just because Young Master Leon spared you doesn't mean I will."

Aedida's heart sank.

The moment he heard that, his face turned ashen.

He knew—his body harbored the soul of a powerful cultivator. But even that presence couldn't defeat the elder standing before him.

"Soon, I'll burn everything I have to hold him off. When I do, run. Go as far as you can."

The voice of the ancient soul echoed in Aedida's mind.

Outside the room...

Leon had barely stepped through the doorway when a young man suddenly blocked his path.

They locked eyes for several seconds.

Leon's expression darkened.

"What are you looking at?!"

…???

Velen blinked, utterly confused.

The system had detected a Rising Magi Rankings genius nearby and, sensing Velen's boredom, had guided him here.

How could he have expected… to bump into someone this dumb?

"What am I looking at? I'm looking at your ugly face!"

Velen snapped back without hesitation.