By the next morning, news of Kai's "promotion" had spread faster than a free buffet announcement.
Townsfolk whispered his name in awe and terror. The headlines on the Capital's magic news crystals flashed things like "The Debt King Rises Again!" and "Mysterious Broke Adventurer Now Owes the World!"
Kai stared at one such crystal on display outside a merchant's stall. His own face was crudely drawn on the screen—eyes glowing red, a demonic crown above his head, and a caption that read:
"KAI EVERAIN: ENEMY OF FINANCIAL STABILITY?"
He pointed at it, deadpan. "I look like I just maxed out the universe's credit card."
Rina tugged on his sleeve. "You literally did."
"I didn't ask to be crowned the king of debt! I just wanted discounted healing potions!"
"Intent doesn't erase interest," Nero said, lounging on his shoulder. "You've become the single biggest economic anomaly in recorded history. Even the Royal Bank's interest rates trembled this morning."
Kai groaned. "Great. So what now? Bailouts? Repo men with spears?"
"Worse," Nero said, flicking his tail. "The Kingdom's Tax Authority wants a word."
"Pass."
Rina sighed. "You can't just ignore the government, Kai."
"Watch me."
They turned the corner—and immediately ran into a large, gold-plated carriage blocking the street. A squad of armored knights stood around it, the sigil of crossed quills and scales gleaming on their chests.
At their front stood a man in a pristine suit of white armor, his cape lined with account ledgers instead of silk. He looked like someone who'd duel over a misfiled tax form.
"Kai Everain!" he boomed, voice echoing across the square. "By order of the Royal Treasury, you are hereby summoned to participate in the Hero Tax Tournament!"
Kai blinked. "The what now?"
The man dramatically unfurled a scroll. "To determine who holds the right to manage divine credit and national debts, all registered heroes must compete in a grand event of fiscal valor! The winner earns tax immunity and kingdom recognition!"
Kai raised a hand. "Question. What happens if I don't participate?"
The knight smiled thinly. "Then your infinite debt will be used as collateral to foreclose reality."
Rina turned to him slowly. "You're joining."
Kai sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Can I at least ask what kind of tournament this is?"
"Oh, it's glorious!" the knight declared, puffing his chest. "Combat! Negotiation! Auditing challenges! A test of strength, intellect, and bookkeeping prowess!"
Kai blinked. "…So basically a fight club for accountants."
The knight's expression darkened. "Blasphemy! This is the proud legacy of fiscal heroes everywhere!"
Kai scratched his head. "Man, I miss normal dungeons. At least there the monsters didn't charge entrance fees."
"Enough chatter!" The knight stamped the scroll, which burst into gold sparks. "You've been registered under the title 'Infinite Debtor'! The opening ceremony begins tomorrow at the Royal Colosseum. Attendance is mandatory."
Then he turned sharply and marched off, his cape fluttering dramatically as several knights followed.
The crowd around them began to murmur again.
"Did he say Infinite Debtor?"
"Is that… his hero title?"
"Sounds cursed."
Kai sighed. "Why can't I ever get a cool one like 'Shadow Reaper' or 'Dragon Puncher'?"
Rina folded her arms. "You're lucky they didn't just call you 'Interest Accruer.'"
Nero smirked. "Oh, I like Infinite Debtor. It's both terrifying and financially accurate."
Kai groaned. "You're enjoying this too much."
"Obviously."
They continued down the street, ignoring the gawking citizens and merchants discreetly hiding their coin purses. A few brave kids pointed and whispered, "That's the guy who owes the world!"
Kai muttered, "Should I start signing autographs on credit slips?"
"You might as well," Rina said. "You'll need the goodwill when the auditors come."
That night, they camped just outside the capital walls. The stars shimmered faintly above, and Kai lay staring at them, unable to sleep. His crystal pulsed occasionally, faint red and amber flickers washing across his palm.
He whispered, "Infinite debt… huh. What does that even mean?"
The silence didn't answer—but the air shimmered faintly above him. A translucent figure formed, half-visible: the silhouette of a man with chains around his wrists and a faint crown of broken coins.
Kai sat up. "…You again?"
The specter didn't respond, but its hollow voice echoed faintly in his head.
'You've inherited my burden, mortal. The weight of every promise never paid. Every vow left unfulfilled. Every soul that owed and never settled.'
Kai swallowed hard. "Cool. So I'm basically the universe's collection agency now."
'You jest… but soon you'll see the truth of the balance sheet.'
"Yeah, I've seen it. Still waiting for the cashback rewards."
The ghost didn't move. Its eyes flickered once—and then it dissolved into mist.
Kai sat back down, staring at his glowing palm. "This is gonna get complicated…"
Rina's voice came sleepily from her tent. "Talking to debt ghosts again?"
"Yeah."
"Tell them to pay rent."
Kai chuckled quietly to himself, but deep down, his stomach twisted. The humor couldn't hide the truth anymore: every coin, every promise, every ounce of magic in this world was now tied to him.
And tomorrow, he'd have to fight in a tournament where losing might mean bankruptcy on a cosmic level.
The Royal Colosseum loomed like a monument to both glory and poor budgeting decisions. Banners fluttered in the wind, proudly declaring:
"THE HERO TAX TOURNAMENT — SPONSORED BY THE ROYAL TREASURY!"
"Fight for Glory! Pay for Entry!"
Kai squinted at the fine print on the entry gate. "Wait, they're charging participants a registration fee?"
Rina looked mortified. "They're taxing heroes for entering the Tax Tournament?"
Nero grinned, perched on Kai's shoulder. "Ah, irony. The universe's favorite joke."
"Do we even have enough to pay?" Rina asked, rifling through her bag.
Kai shrugged. "I think my debt's so big now it loops back around to infinite credit."
As if responding, the crystal embedded in his palm pulsed faintly. A glowing receipt appeared in midair:
Entry Fee Paid: Charged to Global Deficit.
Rina blinked. "You just—bought our entry—by deepening the world's debt?"
Kai scratched his head. "Guess so. Should I apologize or send a thank-you card to the economy?"
They entered the arena, where rows upon rows of spectators cheered. Gold coins glittered midair, floating as magical displays formed betting odds, tax rates, and sponsor slogans.
A booming voice echoed from an amplified crystal above:
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! HEROES, ACCOUNTANTS, AND AUDITORS OF ALL RANKS! WELCOME TO THE 107TH HERO TAX TOURNAMENT!"
The crowd roared. Confetti made of shredded tax forms rained from above.
Kai ducked as one landed on his head. "This confetti literally says 'Notice of Outstanding Balance.'"
Rina read another strip. "Mine says 'Property Seized for Unpaid Fees.' This is so depressing."
Dozens of heroes stood in formation on the arena floor. Some looked fierce, armored and gleaming. Others looked exhausted—clearly veterans of too many tax seasons.
An announcer in a gold-trimmed suit strutted onto the stage. His teeth sparkled so brightly they might've been polished with greed itself.
"Today, our heroes will compete not only for tax freedom—but for the title of Crown Auditor of Valor!"
Kai leaned toward Rina. "That sounds like the least fun job ever."
"Shh," she whispered. "People are staring."
He glanced around and realized several competitors were glaring at him. A tall swordswoman whispered to her companion, "That's him. The Infinite Debtor."
The man beside her spat on the ground. "Disgraceful. He's turning the economy into a circus."
Kai frowned. "I'm standing right here, guys."
The announcer continued, "And now! Introducing our reigning champion, the man who balanced an entire city's budget while fighting a dragon—Sir Lucent Fairvale, the Hero of Equity!"
A dazzling beam of light struck the far end of the arena. A knight in silver armor stepped forward, golden quill emblazoned across his chest, radiating smug righteousness.
Lucent bowed to the crowd, then glanced at Kai. His smile didn't reach his eyes.
"So. You're the one the ledgers tremble for."
Kai gave a lazy salute. "You must be the one who sends people reminder letters at 3 a.m."
Lucent's smile twitched. "Debtors like you are a stain on hero society. This tournament will cleanse your imbalance."
Kai shrugged. "Neat. Can I get that in writing for my bankruptcy report?"
Lucent turned away in disgust.
Rina whispered, "You're really not making allies here."
"I don't need allies," Kai said. "I just need affordable potions."
Before Rina could respond, a booming chime filled the air. The ground beneath them began to shift, plates of marble rearranging themselves into dozens of circular platforms floating above a glowing pool of golden light.
The announcer shouted, "ROUND ONE — THE FISCAL FREE-FOR-ALL!"
Dozens of heroes jumped onto the platforms. Magic circles flared to life. Weapons glimmered, shields formed, and numbers—literal digits—floated beside their heads, showing their current tax brackets.
Kai blinked. "Are those… health bars or income reports?"
Nero purred. "Both, probably."
The announcer grinned. "Competitors! The rules are simple! Knock your opponents off, raise your market value, and avoid overdrafting your life force!"
Kai stepped onto his platform, cracking his knuckles. The crystal in his palm pulsed harder, threads of golden light wrapping around his wrist. He felt the weight of his debt pressing on him like gravity itself.
"Here we go again," he muttered.
Lucent pointed his sword at him from the opposite end of the arena. "Your debt ends here, Everain!"
Kai smirked. "Buddy, my debt doesn't end. It compounds."
With that, the match began.
Dozens of magic flares burst into the air as heroes launched spells, coins, and ledgers at one another. Kai dodged an explosion of paperwork, vaulting over a fireball shaped like a receipt.
Rina shouted from the sidelines, "Kai! Watch your balance!"
"I'm trying! Both literal and financial!"
He slammed his palm onto the platform. "Limit Breaker—activate!"
A surge of energy erupted from his body. Gold coins burst into the air like shrapnel, vanishing into motes of light as his body glowed faint red. His strength spiked—but so did the number above his head.
Rina gasped. "Kai! Your debt just jumped by a million!"
He grinned wildly. "Then I'm a million stronger!"
He leapt toward Lucent, their attacks colliding midair—holy light against crimson energy, a clash that sent shockwaves across the arena.
The crowd screamed. Some cheered, others cried about the market crash happening in real-time.
And high above, the magical scoreboard flickered—every time Kai hit harder, the kingdom's economy dipped lower.
The air trembled as Kai's fist met Lucent's shield. Sparks of gold and crimson scattered like fireworks, the noise echoing through the arena in sharp, rhythmic bursts.
Then, for a heartbeat, silence.
Lucent staggered back, armor glowing white-hot from impact. The sigil on his chest flickered — then cracked, splitting his immaculate "balance seal" clean down the middle.
Kai straightened, his arm trembling from recoil. "Guess your equity's overdrawn."
Lucent's eyes widened. "That power… It's not just strength. It's theft."
The words hit harder than expected.
All around them, heroes were frozen mid-battle, staring as a column of red light spiraled upward from Kai's palm. The air shimmered like heat off gold coins, and the platform beneath his feet turned translucent — flickering between solid stone and glowing currency.
From the stands, whispers began to rise.
"Is that—debt magic?"
"I thought the Debt King's curse was sealed centuries ago!"
"No way… he's just a kid!"
Rina's voice cut through the noise. "Kai! Stop using it! The readings are off the charts—your debt's destabilizing the arena!"
He looked down.
The number hovering beside his name wasn't red anymore. It was black.
And climbing.
"Oops."
Lucent roared, raising his sword. "You're not a hero—you're a walking deficit!"
He charged, but Kai sidestepped easily. Each movement sent waves through the arena floor, distorting the platforms like water. The surrounding heroes lost their footing, tumbling into the golden light below.
The audience gasped as entire sections of the arena began sinking.
Rina's spell book flew open on its own. "The arena's funds are collapsing into your debt field! You're bankrupting the whole match!"
Kai grimaced. "It's not my fault they built their infrastructure on unsecured magic credit!"
Nero's tail flicked as he floated beside him. "Technically, that is your fault."
Another explosion shook the air — this one not magical, but economic. A cascade of golden energy surged upward, and suddenly, hundreds of numbers appeared in the sky above the colosseum — stock values, treasury balances, and fluctuating inflation rates.
All dropping.
The crowd's cheering turned to panic as nobles clutched their ledgers and merchants screamed about the crashing coin rate.
The announcer's voice broke mid-sentence: "A-Ah, ladies and gentlemen, it appears we are experiencing… unforeseen financial turbulence! Please remain seated as we—"
His mic cut out.
Kai sighed and turned toward Lucent, who was now kneeling, trying to keep his balance on the trembling platform. "You done?"
Lucent glared up at him, sweat dripping down his face. "You'll destroy everything. Every coin, every contract—it'll all vanish!"
Kai tilted his head. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
Then he jumped.
The shockwave that followed wasn't sound—it was debt interest. Invisible pressure radiated outward, and suddenly every remaining competitor in the arena dropped to their knees, their magic being siphoned like liquid gold into Kai's glowing aura.
Even Rina gasped as her healing energy flickered. "Kai, stop—! You're absorbing income flow!"
Kai froze midair, realizing she was right. His body was shining too brightly now, his outline almost distorted. The crystal embedded in his hand was overflowing, like a dam about to burst.
Lucent's eyes went wide with dawning horror. "He's reached Debt Saturation. If he releases that power, it'll default the entire kingdom!"
Kai landed hard, panting. His knuckles were bleeding. He could feel it—the world pushing back against him, trying to balance the books. His heart pounded like a drumbeat in a treasury hall.
He whispered, "Limit Breaker… cancel."
The light flickered… and then faded.
For a long moment, only the sound of falling coins echoed through the air.
Then, from somewhere in the royal box, a single polite clap.
A nobleman with slicked-back silver hair and a monocle smiled thinly. "Splendid. Truly splendid. The Debt King's heir lives."
Kai looked up, frowning. "Who the hell are you supposed to be?"
The man rose, straightening his coat. "Lord Valtrane. Royal Treasurer. I've been waiting for you, Mr. Everain."
Rina stiffened. "Kai… that's the man who manages the kingdom's entire economy."
Valtrane smiled, tapping his cane once against the railing. "Your power is magnificent. Dangerous, yes—but perhaps manageable. With proper oversight, you could stabilize the world's deficit instead of deepening it."
Kai crossed his arms. "You mean you want to use me as a living loan."
Valtrane's grin didn't falter. "If the crown must go into debt, best to do it with someone who never runs out, yes?"
The crowd murmured. Lucent, still kneeling, looked between the two in disbelief.
And as the broken platforms hovered over a pool of gold and ruin, Kai finally realized:
The real game wasn't the tournament. It was who controlled the balance sheet of the world.
He clenched his fist. The crystal pulsed once.
"Fine," he muttered. "But if we're doing this… I'm charging interest."