The tall man called out his younger comrade. His voice is deep and ragged but a hint of a gentle character can be felt through his voice.

“Maximo, do you think it’s wise that I should take the lead? After all, I defeated this kind of monster before. Not that I brag, but I am qualified enough to do the job.”

Maximo, the guy who easily put down the Deziun Alle on the ground hisses.

“Hey, Dorian. Just to be fair, you took all of the fun. You didn’t give me the chance to fight it.”

“Is that the reason why you’re so hyped when you heard that the enemy, we are facing is a Deziun Alle?”

“Correct.”

Dorian shakes his head.

“Maximo, the only thing that can hurt that monster is holy or divine magic. And neither of those you possess. Hence, you must allow me to lead the battle.”

His broad shoulder shrugs.

“Hey. Just this once, give this guy to me. You had your fun last time, now is my time.”

Dorian sighed and locked his arms, giving up on Maximo’s demand. Maximo’s persistence already tells that he’s quite a hard-headed fellow.

Dorian looked at Linda. “Forgive us for the delay. May I ask miss who’s the people leading the armada?”

“Me and Kazan. You can call me Linda.”

Dorian surveyed her and then to the wounded Kazan. “Ah, Linda. A befitting name for a cunning lady. May I ask for you to kindly tell the rest to back down slowly? Here on out, this battle will be messy.”

Linda nodded. “Everyone, listen to me. Helped the wounded persons and head back to the mansion.”

The group disperses and carried their ill comrade. The rest of the dead bodies are left behind. But of course, Dorian won’t let their bodies humiliated. The bodies floated and started to fly away and headed to the mansion. The only people left to witness the battle are Alastor, Ken, Cid, Kazan, and Linda, including Dorian who’s sitting with cross legs in the air and his arms, lock at each side of his armpits.

Dorian looked at them with a concerned expression. “If you don’t intend to retreat back, at least get close to me, so I can protect you from any harm.”

The group heeded willingly. There is something that this benevolent man makes him seem a good man despite the fact that he possessed strength that they cannot fathom. It’s nothing surprising for the rest of the members of the 10 Rooks, Dorian had this personality comparable to a caring old man that everyone wouldn’t be able to ignore a word of advice.

“Maximo, make this quick. As much as possible, we don’t want to add another more casualties.”

Maximo stepped forward and tilted his head to give Dorian a look. “What the hell are you talking about?” He asked. “Everyone retreated back into the mansion, right?”

Dorian shakes his head. He spoke softly, “Do not underestimate that monster’s power, Maximo.”

Maximo didn’t take heed of his advice and take a leap towards the forest to find the monster. Disturbed by the breeze, he held his sword and swung it to cancel the breeze. The air became steady, the leaves fell but it wasn’t distracting unlike the breeze passing by.

“Hey, mister monster. Come out, come out, wherever you are.”

He scanned the surrounding with his Inquiara magic. His field of vision slowed down. It’s impossible for that monster to conceal his presence with that size, he thought. A piercing vibration had caught his ears. He quickly jerks sideways and evaded the attacks. He observed the nearby trees that got hit by it, but it seems there are no weapons involved in the monster’s assault.

“The fuck?” It was more of a statement rather than a question.

“I admire your tenacity, Maximo. But you don’t know the abilities of that monster and you’re out of your depth. Let me take over and I will this end soon.”

“How would I know if I can do it if you won’t allow me to try?” He asked. “Just shut up and enjoy the show.”

The monster finally showed itself. It sprung out from the darkness. Evading the attack of the enemy, Maximo’s eyes observed the sword of Deziun Alle. He couldn’t tell what exactly it is, but he felt that it does not wind magic that enveloping the sword. Freezing over the breeze, he sneezes. He quickly got lurched back before the blade of the enemy cut his face.

“Shit.”

Deziun Alle launches forward with its sword swinging from its right. In an instant, Maximo’s presence became elusive. He was completely gone out of the enemy’s range and then quickly he got to its back.

“Teleportation magic?” Alastor asked.

“Not really,” Dorian replied.

“How did he move so fast?” Ken asked.

The fire began to cover his sword and in one fell swoop to its torso, the force threw off the balance of the monster, thus, it was blasted off away. The nearby trees were cut off clean and are under fire.

“That kind of attack is no good, Maximo…”

“Shut up,” Maximo interjected. “I’m just getting warm up.”

Maximo delivered another strike to the enemy.

“I was going to tell you that don’t use fire magic. It would cause a forest fire and will likely give you a hard time to breathe while fighting.” He murmured to himself.

Maximo’s incredible speed overwhelmed the monster, but his attack didn’t do enough damage to its armor. Maximo keeps attacking from the monster’s blind spot. In slow pace, the armor peeled away from his attack, clanging and vibrating against his attack.

Alastor observed him very carefully. Compared to his attack earlier to Deziun Alle, Maximo is actually doing damage to its armor with only his brute strength. Maximo appeared to be teleporting from there and there, but whenever Maximo does it, there’s a trail of light following him. Alastor came to a conclusion.

“He’s not teleporting,” Alastor said.

His words caught Dorian’s ears, “Oho. So, you can tell?”

“Then, what is it, Al?” Linda asked.

“He’s… he’s just fast.”

They all gulped.

“It’s his reality shift ability. Mobius Dive. His body moves in between his pocket dimension and to ours, which allows him to have a greater speed.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying but it seems that his tactics are working,” Ken said.

“In that case, allow me to elaborate his ability. Imagine our reality and his pocket dimension as two papers, bend the two and pull it closer, the middle of the two is the space and time, the more it bends the more it gets closer and can create an opening between the two, but in this case, the gap between the two serves as a time portal to him, a wormhole so to speak, this allows him to slip past between seconds and move fast.”

He can tell that they’re having a hard time grasping his explanation, but, needless to say, it is better to watch and learn so that they can understand Maximo’s ability.

“How does he bend the two realities?”

He couldn’t believe it. Despite the complicated information he received, he’s still willing to learn. But he’s not liked the rest of them, he quickly absorbed the information. He simply glances and answered his question.

“He’s not bending the realities. He’s bending the time and space between the two realities. But all of this effort requires a heavy tax.”

“What would it be?”

“His mana. It takes a lot of mana to pull of his reality shift ability.”

“Then, does that mean, he wouldn’t last?”

Dorian laughs at the thought. He quite down and replied. “No. Maximo wouldn’t be able to become one of the 10 rooks if he’s not an exceptional warrior. Maximo possessed the highest mana out of all of us. It would take hell for him to be exhausted.”

The damage that the Deziun Alle receives seems to be nothing as it slowly repairing itself. He sneezes again. Maximo quickly evaded the Deziun Alle’s attack and went to its behind.

“Right here!”

He attacked it fast stead before delivering a kick to its head. The enemy was stunned for a moment and take a look at Maximo. A pig-like cry reverberates throughout the forest. The flames unlit and the branches of trees were shaken off before the monster breaks a sprint towards Maximo.

“That’s the spirit!”

Maximo grinned and he too breaks a sprint towards the monster.