After a long, long wait, the last expected person joined the two brothers. Both the Joker and Leiu stood up and looked at the newcomer, who was covered in blood from head to toe and not looking particularly healthy.

Before anyone talked, Wolfram crushed a card which released a blinding light that enveloped Arthur and healed some of the injuries. It took five cards to completely heal his younger brother and it has to be said that even one of such cards is extremely rare and has a miraculous effect.

One has to wonder what kind of injuries did Arthur suffer to be in such a miserable half-dead state.

While smiling, Arthur said:

"I hope that the wait wasn't too long."

The youth snorted but the tall magician wrapped his hand around Arthur's shoulder and jokingly said:

"It was so boring with this quiet dude, I felt like I was talking to myself."

"Hahaha I can imagine that."

Unfortunately, this light mood was quickly broken by the Nameless Knight, who reproachingly looked at the parasite while saying:

"In the end, you decided to come?"

"Why wouldn't I? My two brothers are betting their lives on the line yet you want me to hide?"

"Yeah how can you say that?"

The Joker butted in, trying to lighten the mood again but his older brother still had a chilling expression as if he wasn't really pleased by Arthur's arrival.

"It's not like there's anywhere to hide, after all, everyone knows of the Dark Lord."

"Ugh stop that, it's so banal."-Arthur

Arthur looked at the gargantuan red crack far away then shifted his attention to a blinding sun right above it, temporarily stopping the expansion of the incoming doom.

"Saly already left?"

"She insisted on staying but I sent her away."-Wolfram

Hearing this, Arthur breathed a sigh of relief and caressed his marriage ring, which wasn't expensive or flashy but held a deep meaning.

"It's not going to hold it for long, we better begin."-The Joker

"Ready yourselves."Leiu

The Nameless Knight wore his helmet and retrieved his black sword, Anduril, from his back and wore his helmet. As for the Joker, he threw dozens of cards in the air, each one having an overpowered buffing affect. 

"These should last for one year. I'll save the best for last." 

He laughed out loud, uncaring about what's about to happen or what they're going to face.

Last but not least, Arthur removed the ring given to him by Lucy and used Dark Magic on it, erasing it from existence and officially releasing himself from the past.

"I shall become the wings of rebellion."-Leiu

"Breaketh thy chains of captivity."-Wolfram

"And release yourself from what has been done!"-Arthur

******

"My son, you have grown up."

A deep voice came out of a shiny silver dragon curled on the ground with its piercing eyes focused on another dragon half of its size but with the same silver scales as it.

Yamak grew bowed its head in respect as he faced his mother, whom he's seeing for the first time. Seeing no purpose in following Xyktia's unreasonable order, he fled to the Dragon Realm but it's not like he can escape her grasp. 

"It's good to see you, mother."

"Have you been well? Did that parasite take care of you?"

"Yes, there is no need to worry."

There was a tinge of awkwardness as Yamak wasn't really used to such talks. Arthur wasn't harsh when he raised him but he wasn't what you call 'motherly' so when he felt his mother's love, the lightning dragon didn't know how to act.

"Normally, dragon's won't meet their parents until they became an adult but, seeing that you willingly came here, there must be a problem, which I can kind of guess."

Even without Yamak saying anything, the ancient Space Dragon was able to see the thing inside her son's body.

"I guess the Twelve do not really care about their treaty with the Dragon Race. Who's the one who did this to you?"

"Xyktia. She wants the Divine and Cursed swords."

"To hell with what she wants, take me to her!"

None of the Twelve created the Dragon Race and the latter is not known to be a formidable race for nothing. A grown dragon like Yamak's mother can pose a great threat even to the Twelve, moreso for the trapped Xyktia.

"W-well.."

For a while, Yamak hesitated before resolutely saying:

"She seems to have went somewhere…"

"Where? There's nowhere I can-"

Before she could finish, her son said: "The Red Tower."

"What? Why would she go there?"

"I don't know. As far as I know, only the Divine Sword, grail, is there."

Last time Yamak saw Xyktia, she was definitely trapped, however, when he went back, there were no signs of her or her white-haired servant. He tracked her only to arrive at the Red Tower.

"Back then, Ventus definitely killed her. How can she be alive? Are you certain it was her?"

"Definitely."

****

"Hey, aren't you going to do anything about her? I don't like her face."

The Joker complained while pointing at a black-haired woman amongst the contestants. She didn't stand out and was neither too strong nor too weak, in fact, not even the Red Tower's system was able to see through her.

The Trickster was able to recognize her only thanks to his Card Magic. As for the Nameless Knight, he's considered to be an acquaintance of hers though you can't say they parted on friendly terms.

"What about her?"

"What do you mean 'what about her'? Isn't this supposed to be a fair competition? She's way too strong for them. If it's going to be like this then I might as well go down too!"

The Joker stood up, seriously considering joining the participants.

"Sit down."

Like an obedient, the Magician snorted and obediently sat back up, appearing quite comical and childish.

"What's happening? Who's she?!"

Saly, who was silently watching their interaction, grew curious and asked the pale and stiff-faced uncle.

"Just an old friend, don't mind her."

"Old friend? Try old lover! Hmpf!"

Wolfram crossed his arms and leaned against the chair, clicking his tongue at what his brother said.

Seeing that Leiu didn't give an honest reply, Saly went to her teacher and act pitiful to quench her curiosity but the weirdly dressed man ignored her and said:

"It's quite fortunate that Arthur didn't bring Makaze. If that blade gets near Xyktia, all hell would break loose."

"It's a good thing that it isn't the case, then."-Leiu

*******

"I said not to bother me!"

The Yellow Seat furiously turned toward the laboratory's entrance and shouted, though when he had a good look at the visitor, he was shocked.

"What brings you here?"

He quickly retracted his anger and shifted back his attention to the experiment while talking to a short man standing next to the door. This was none other than the Red Seat of Supremacy, someone who rarely interacts with the other seats and quite a hateful fellow. He does not have a good relationship with most of the other seats and no one really knows why Forne still keeps him.

"It's lonely with everyone gone so I came here to talk."

"Talk? You've never visited me here and now you say you want to talk?"

The scientist frowned but didn't chase away the short man.

"You've always been someone who believed more in number rather than emotions so don't you think the probability of taking down the Nameless Knight is extremely low?"

"That's a fact so what's your point?" The Yellow Seat pulled his sleeves and sat on a squeaking chair while gazing at the short man pacing around with his hands behind his back.

"I'm just saying that this emptiness may become permanent if things go wrong… don't you think it's time for a 'refill'?"

"…"

After a short silence, the scientist opened his mouth and said: "Continue."

The Red Seat chuckled and walked closer, revealing his face to the small light illuminating only a part of the laboratory. He had a bald head and several long sword scars across his not-so-handsome face.