Mage Association, Capital…

The Mage King was on his working desk, busy with his daily work as usual.

"Ring!"

"Ring!"

At this moment, the phone on the desk suddenly began to ring and he picked it up.

"Hello..." the Mage King said without paying much attention.

"It's been a while, senior…" A familiar voice entered the Mage King's ear and he finally closed the file, paying attention to the call.

"What do you want William?" The Mage King said with a calm voice.

Yes, the person on the other hand was indeed the Headmaster of Arcane Academy, William Kingsman.

"I heard you have one of my innocent students with you…" William asked with a calm tone.

"Well, it is yet to be decided whether he is innocent or guilty…" the Mage King muttered under his breath. The decision was yet to be made after all.

"Hmmn...I see. But I believe that you won't let him get hurt after all, he saved your daughter's life…."

"What do you mean?" The Mage King asked with a frown.

"Didn't you remember the incident when your daughter got Kidnapped...I didn't tell you the name of the people who saved her in order to safeguard their identity from the kidnappers and also to avoid several other problems…..but it seems now is the right time to reveal the truth….that kid whom you are holding right now was one of the two who saved your daughter…" William had decided to reveal the matter, because he knew the Mage King well.

First of all, it was hidden back then only to stop getting on the wrong side of the Education council and to maintain their participation right in the All Academy Competitions. It already had been such a long time and not to mention, with the disaster, things had changed. The headmaster had secured the participation rights as an opportunity to promote and rebuild the Academy…

The Mage King sighed hearing him.

'He didn't tell me about it even when he could have gotten on my good side. He carried out William's order by not disclosing it…..well not bad…he has to be at least be able to do that much to be considered as a possible match for my daughter…'

Max's image had went up by a level in Mage King's mind.....

"Please don't take it too far, or else things might not end up well…."

"Are you threatening me?" The Mage King asked, first it was the father and now the son.

"How could I? I just gave you advice in good faith…" William said with an amiable tone.

''Both sounds the same to me," the Mage King replied.

"Well, then I will take leave…" William hung up the call after a few more formal exchanges.

…

On the other side.

"You sure it's fine?" Stark who was sitting beside William asked with a doubtful look.

"Don't worry, I know him well….once he knows something like that….he won't let it get to the deep end….besides, it's best to not get the fact out that the our family are trying to protect him….you know those two families are searching for him already….it's better to keep as much little contact as possible….besides, let that brat suffer a bit….the moment I take my eyes off of him he goes and creates trouble…" William said as a vein popped out in his neck.

"They are young, things like that happen…" Stark tried to calm him down.

"I don't even know who you are trying to defend? Is it Max or your Younger self…..it is your misgivings that have made him the way he currently is…you are too soft on him…"

The girl who was putting down the cup suddenly turned her head and looked at Stark with a worried face, "Did something happen with Max?"

"It's nothing to worry about, Anna. How's your training going by the way?'' Stark didn't tell her about it and changed the topic.

"It's going well. I am sure I could help everyone when I meet them next…" Anna said with a smile.

….

In some other place….a few miles always from the border of the capital...

'He was stronger than I thought…' Zack had fought the unknown man until the dawn for almost a whole day and had somehow ended up far from their initial location.

It was obvious from his condition that the fight didn't go the way he planned. He was injured and was currently flying towards the Capital at full speed without taking any rest.

He knew that if the things went the way he predicted, Max would be presented tomorrow morning for a trial. There was still time for him. Even though he was injured and couldn't fly at his best, he should be able to reach there by noon.

"Hmmn?" Suddenly a frown emerged on Zack's face as two black dots seemed to be floating in the air a few hundred meters away.

Within a few minutes, it became clear as Zack finally entered the distance where he could clearly make them out.

They were two people who he was familiar with.

It was the two elders from the family, the one his second brother was close with.

'It seems going out alone was not a good idea after all….' Zack smiled but he didn't turn around to leave. If he ran away now, he definitely wouldn't make it back in time.

As for whether he could get past them in his current state…..

"Elders, what brings you here?" Zack said as he made a bow. He was acting tough even though wounded, trying to show that he wasn't actually exhausted. It was very likely that the other side wouldn't jump in if there was a possibility of a long-drawn fight.

"We are here to escort the third master, we heard about reports regarding your involvement in a fight and were sent as a reinforcement…."

'It hasn't been that long, besides everyone thinks I am out on a mission. Even if someone saw me fight, we didn't go in any particular direction….there is now way for them to find me so quickly..... unless….'

There was only one option left. They had someone follow him all along and when the opportunity appeared, that person must have contacted them.

"Shall we go third master…"

Zack looked at the elder asking him to take the lead, but there was no way he was going to let them guard his back.