Academy District Hospital…

Axel laid on his bed looking at the commotion outside. The room was in a bit of a mess after the shockwave had hit earlier.

But, the Hospital had activated its defensive formations and it was a bit calmer on the inside now.

"What is it? You want to go outside?" The old man sitting beside the bed spoke as he looked at Axel. He had long gray hairs with wrinkles around the corner of his eyes.

"Even if I go, I won't be of any use…." Axel replied as he shook his head.

"You still aren't done after causing so much trouble?" The old man asked with a smile.

"Am I going to get expelled, Professor?" Axel asked with a worried look.

"Depends on my mood….but I had to say what you did was indeed interesting. Besides, it will be boring if I let you go…."

"Then, I will be grateful as long as you don't turn me into a guinea pig…." Axel said with a bow.

"I won't….but you will be working to death for the mana crystal…." The old man said with a smile as Axel's face twitched.

"Yeah, I heard from the nurse that you sent a lady crying?" The old man asked in curiosity.

Axel looked at his face, this Professor was really was one of a kind. His mood switches were terrible. When he was focused on work, even a single irrelevant word would get you kicked out of the classroom and here he seemed to be so interested in gossiping.

Axel sighed as he spoke, "It's nothing…."

"Hmm... it's good to be young…" the old man said with a laugh.

Axel looked at the old man thinking that he had given up on any further inquiry.

"So, what happened?"

But nope he was still going to ask….

"It was just a bad match….but is settled now…." Axel replied.

"Why do you say that?" The old man seemed even more curious now.

"I have my reasons to hate her to death...it's only natural for her to cry after encountering me..."

"Why do you avert your eyes while saying that?"

"Huh? What do you-"

"Anyway, I don't remember taking in a jerk like you…." The old man's word made Axel's face contort.

"Let me give you a piece of advice kid, there is no medicine for regrets…." The old man said with a smile.

"I am well aware of it…." Axel said with a sigh.

"Hmmn….I don't think so…"

"It's time for my asleep pleas-"

Axel suddenly stopped mid way and the next instant, he clutched his heart as sweat started to form on his body

His heart was thumping louder than ever….and pain began to take over his body as he gritted his teeth.

'Is it the after-effects of using the mana crystal?' Axel thought as he felt his body getting stiff as if something was taking over.

"Hmmn…." The old man obviously noticed the changes and reached out to Axel, "What's wrong?''

"Spark!"

The moment his hands touched Axel, a black spark appeared out of thin air and forced his hand back surprising the old man.

Axel suddenly felt something crawling over his skin and he moved his hand after much struggle to see what it was and much to his surprise. It was the black formations that he had been trying to work on until now. The only difference was he couldn't even produce a fraction of what he currently had on him.

"What...is...this…?" Axel muttered with difficulty.

The next instant, he suddenly felt a strange energy in the distance, something didn't feel right...he was being overcome with the intention to kill….what was this….

He suddenly felt his thoughts becoming messy….

Unconsciously, Axel moved as he tried to get out of the bed…..he had to get rid of that thing….

"Where do you think you are going?" The old man said as he grabbed Axel.

"Spark!"

The black aura began to get rile up as the space around started to get distorted.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, the aura busted out of Axel sending the door and window flying out and turning the bed over.

The old man looked at Axel as he still maintained his grip on him.

"Don't stand... in my way…." Axel muttered as he struggled. Veins popping up on his face and his eyes turning white, he looked way different than his usual self. It seemed that he had completely lost it.

"And who do you think you are?" The old man asked.

"I...am…."

The old man's eye remained calm as he heard him speak. He then raised his hand and white runes began to appear and press onto Axel's body. The Black runes fought back but with only a couple of black runes it wasn't enough. The dozens of White runes completely engulfed Axel, immobilizing him and shutting him down.

"It's not the right time…..why is this happening now, the kid is still not ready…." The old man muttered with a frown. "I can't let anything happen to him until he matures….he has to be protected….he is the only one who could end everything once and for all."

The old man suddenly flew out of the window and turned his head towards the Recycling District. Things weren't visible as the area was pretty much covered in smoke, with flames still rampaging around.

"Who is the one, going crazy enough to attract his ire…" the old man mumbled as he began to fly towards the place. "I can't believe someone has broke the law.....I hope it's not that being....''

…

Recycling District, Capital.

"Splash!"

A head flew through the air spewing the blood around. It belonged to the Master Level Mage who had rushed towards Lithiya.

Max stood with black sparks emerging by his sides. His right hand died in blood and his eyes were red.

Lithiya looked at Max as blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth.

The arm of the headless man had sank into Lithiya's stomach emerging from behind.

"Thud!"

Lithiya slowly fell right in front of Max's eyes.

The Beast's who had connections with Lithiya immediately wavered and even the giant serpent released a miserable cry as it rushed towards Lithiya and disappeared before colliding into her. It most probably returned to the spirit world.

Max stooped below and held Lithiya up. The skin on his body had begun to fall off. It wouldn't be long before he would disintegrate.

He immediately took out the bottle of elixir that he had received from Bahamut and poured it all down after crumbling it.

Lithiya raised her hand as she gently touched Max's cheek. Her eyes watering again, she didn't want to die…..it hasn't even been a day...she wasn't willing to leave Max alone.

'Sera, bring her in…..'

The next moment with a flash of light, Lithiya disappeared and at the same time, Max raised his hand.

"Shng!"

Max's feet sank into the ground but he had managed to catch the white blade with his right hand. He raised his head and stared at the old man with a bloody wound on his chest.

"You crossed the limit old man, if something happens to her…..I will make sure to wipe the Edwinson house with the remaining 30 minutes of my life…."

The Grand Elder didn't even know what just happened, how the kid blocked his attack and where did Lithiya vanish to….

"Bang!''

"Splash!"

Max's fist sank into the old man's chest as the sound of bones cracking was heard, the old man's eyes went wide as blood rushed out of his throat.

"Whoosh!"

The old man flew up in the air without any control over his body….

Max took this opportunity to write a short message to Bahamut.

«Coward Cat: I am dying 30 minutes…...I have secured one of the spirit shells...hurry up…..I don't have time….»

Max unfurled his wings but before flying, he cast his gaze to the remaining people still busy slaughtering the beasts who had lost their will.

The people suddenly stopped feeling Max's haze struck by fear.

They didn't seem to have seen the scene from earlier. One of the man somehow gathered the courage to speak up, "What are you-"

"Shnk!"

"Huh?" The man suddenly noticed that the world seemed to be turning upside down but as he turned a bit more he saw 8 other bloody heads flying alongside him…...at this point he knew it wasn't the world.

The heads fell to the ground and they saw the figure with black wings. He only had half of his face while the other half just showed a bit of tissue and skull.

Indeed a grim reaper….

Max didn't spare them another glance, his anger wasn't calming down. He even abandoned his spear wanting to take it out all with his bare hands.

He really didn't care about it at this point....except....

The only regret he had was…..

'I am sorry, Sera….but it seems I am going to drag you down….you chose the wrong person it seems….'

Max shook his head as he felt Sera's emotion. Sera pouted as she looked up and walked away from Lithiya leaving her to the new elder sister.

She didn't seem to agree with Max at all….