On the other side of the city, Klaus was standing in front of and was glaring at someone who was casually sitting on a wall.

“……..”

Ace silently looked down at Klaus unfazed by his glare. Neither of the two has made a move and yet the tension between them was stifling.

“What did you come here for, Klaus?”

“To kill you and the rest of your group. What else could I’ve come here for?”

Klaus didn’t know why Ace was asking such a meaningless question but he knew one thing; he hated his guts and he could tell that Ace felt the same about him.

“I can’t understand how people can be so stupid.”

Ace jumped down from the wall and landed with his hands in his pockets.

“They’ll charge into the jaws of death for stupid reasons like love, loyalty, ambition, and hate. They’ll take high stake risks just for a glimmer of hope and curse the world when the gamble doesn’t pay off.”

He smiled.

“Well, I’m guilty of all these things as well so I really shouldn’t be talking.”

(What’s this? Was this what his personality was normally like?)

Klaus felt that the Ace in front of him was different from the one he saw at the academy. That Ace would always have a playful air about him and would turned into a demon when angered. But this Ace felt apathetic towards everything.

“Klaus, before I decide how I want to deal with you I want you to answer my question.”

Ace looked at Klaus like he was looking at someone inferior to him and that made Klaus irritated.

“I’m not in the mood to chitchat.”

A beastly aura started coming from Klaus’s body.

“I’ll kill you then I’ll go after Miko and Tang!”

“Going after them will only shorten your life.”

“What?”

“I’m saying that you’re not up to their standards.”

Klaus became enraged.

“Then are you saying I’m more up to your standards?”

“Not even close but I’ve taken the responsibility of deal with you myself.”

Ace grinned.

“I remembered telling you that I’ll make boots out of you.”

“And I remember swearing to kill you myself.”

The two faced off and the tension between them increased.

“Since I already know what you’re capable of I won’t let my guard down and crush you with everything I got from the start.”

Klaus said.

“I agree 100%. There’s no need for pleasantries between us.”

Powerful auras started coming from the two of them as they spoke in unison.

“I’ll just kill you now!”

*BAM!*

An overwhelming power rushed out of Ace’s body and blew away the ruins that were close to him. Klaus saw a familiar scene of him standing in the center of a pillar of bloody red light.

“Character Change:…!”

Ace’s figure was quickly devoured by the light. It then imploded and disappeared. Klaus saw the figure that was left in its place. It was a man covered in bleeding wounds of all shapes and size. He had long sticky scarlet hair that looked like it was wet with blood. He had a long and rugged katana in his hands. He was topless, was wearing red torn up pants, and was barefoot.

Everything about him screamed “Savage”.

The man, Ace, looked at all at Klaus with a pair of beastly red eyes.

“Swordsman (Manslayer).”

“There it is, that wretched form.”

Klaus’s body started changing. Most of his skin changed into green scales, he grew four black horns, a tail and pair of wings. His hair grew and turned green, and a third eye appeared at the center of his forehead.

“Dragon Asura.”

He started approaching Ace.

“I’m gonna enjoy repaying you everything you did at the tournament.”

Ace showed a bloody smile.

“What’s the color of your blood?”

He charged towards Klaus with his sword in hand, Klaus created a water blade in his hand ran to meet his charge. They quickly entered each other’s range.

*Bam!*

The two swords clashed, they then leaped back and rushed at each other again. Ace fired a red slash which Klaus leaped over and swung down his sword at Ace’s head.

*Bam!*

Ace lifted his sword overhead and blocked it. Klaus swung his foot up and kicked Ace under his chin and forced him to take a couple steps back. Klaus then thrust his sword at his neck. Ace lifted his arm up and stopped the attack by letting it stab into his arm.

“Hahaha!”

He laughed and slashed Klaus across the chest.

*Clang!*

His sword hit scales but blood still leaked out of Klaus’s body through the cut.

“You!”

Klaus formed a ball of water in his palm and slammed it into Ace’s chest.

*Bam!*

Ace was blown back with blood spraying from his mouth.

“Hahahaha!”

He laughed and stabbed the sword into the ground. Seeing that Klaus leaped into the air. As he expected, dozens of rusty swords burst out of the ground at the spot where he was.

“Special Move:….!”

Ace popped up in front of Klaus with his rugged sword glowing red.

“Blade of Carnage + Hunt!”

The sword started radiating a bloody light and gave off a ghastly howl. He lifted it up and swung it at Klaus and fired a bloody slashed at him. Klaus lifted his sword and swung it down towards the slash.

“Flowing River!”

Suddenly it was like a river flowed out of his blade and demolished the slash and head towards Ace.

*BAM!*

It hit him and forced him deep into the ground. The pressure of having a river thrown at him was overwhelming to say the least. After his attack ended Klaus immediately prepared to follow up with another.

“Asura!”

An six-handed warrior appeared behind Klaus and he rushed towards Ace.

*Bam!*

Ace jumped up and blocked it’s six swords and then pushed him back.

“Manhunt!”

His sword moved with lightning speed and the Asura was instantly cut to pieces.

“?!”

The moment the Asura was out of his sight his eyes widened from the sight of a gigantic water serpent rushing towards him. He jumped over it and looked for Klaus.

“Over here.”

He turned around and Klaus was swinging his water sword at him. Ace was shocked when he saw the water turn into raging flames.

“Avicii’s Blade!”

Ace lifted his sword to block it.

*BAM!*

The flames exploded and engulfed him. His blade snapped and the blade cut into him and caused flames to rush into his body.

“Damnation!”

“Ahhhh?!”

Ace wailed out in pain as he was roasted from inside and out.

“D-Don’t get ahead of yourself!”

Ace surrounded his body with Vita and his body started to change. He started to turn into a molten monster. He opened his mouth and sucked in the flames and quickly devoured them.

“What?!”

This naturally completely shocked Klaus.

“Equip.”

Ace’s rugged sword that was broken before had returned and then changed into a molten sword.

“Let’s fight fire with fire.”

Ace smiled while his bloody colored hair started moving like it was made of flames. More now than ever did he look like a demon out of hell. He stretched his molten sword to the side.

“Burning Carnage Blade.”

Suddenly his sword was covered by blood-colored flames.

“You really don’t follow common sense huh?!”

Klaus charged towards him with his flame sword and Ace met him midway.

*Bam!*

The two clashed and flames started swirling around them. They started attacking each other with ultra fast slashes and stabs. Their blades continued to clash preventing them from seriously harming their opponent.

“Asura Embodiment!”

Suddenly Klaus grew two extra pair of arms all wielding burning swords. The arms all attacked Ace with their swords instantly landing hits. Even so, Ace didn’t seem to mind. He kept fending off what ever he could and ignored the rest.

“Hahaha!”

He laughed as flames surrounded him and turned into blades which attacked Klaus.

“What the?!”

Klaus was now the one on the defensive. He quickly leaped back but Ace didn’t chase him. He even brought his sword down. If it wasn’t for the crazy expression on his face Klaus would’ve thought that he gave up.

“Finisher:….”

“?!”

Klaus suddenly found himself on a path made of bones and corpses. He immediately knew that this was Ace’s doing and that he was going to attack. While he was thinking that, he saw Ace appeared beside him and then walked past him and continued down the path. He was about to turn around when he heard Ace’s voice in his ear.

“The Bloody Path.”

Several large cuts appeared all over Klaus’s body which all had blood spraying out them.

“Guah?!”

He screamed out in pain and collapsed on the ground and started to bleed out. The path disappeared and they returned to reality. Ace stood in the puddle of his blood and looked down on him.

“Back to the question I wanted to ask you Klaus.”

He stooped down and spoke to the bleeding Klaus.

“Just what is it that you’re fighting for?”

He asked.

“Whatever it is I know that you’re desperate to obtain it and isn’t afraid to get your hands dirty.”

“…..What does it matter to you?”

Klaus started struggling to get to his feet.

“Is it for your own amusement?! Do you want to hear it just to mock me?!”

He swung his sword at Ace and made him back off. He stood up with his body still heavily bleeding.

“Hm?”

Ace noticed that there was something growing in his wounds.

“Black roots?”

He saw small roots stitching up Klaus’s wounds.

(Is this the reason he acquired Nidhogg’s power from Zora? Could he have ideas of ways on how to use that power differently? Too bad that he didn’t get the time to practice using it or this would’ve been a different battle.)

“I know your type!”

Ace was drawn out of his thoughts by Klaus’s shout.

“Your just like the others! You just want to laugh at me while I’m down!”

His body started giving off a sinister aura.

“But let me tell you this! I won’t return to those days! I will reign supreme!”

*Bam!*

Black water started rushing out of Klaus’s body and swirl around him.

“Regalia: River Of Vritra!”

“That’s his regalia? A river?”

Ace never heard something like that before.

“Ohhhh!”

The river moved towards him like a gigantic serpent. Ace charged at him and swung his sword to cut it.

*BAM!*

The river overwhelmed him and flung him into the air before slamming him into the ground.

“Ugh?!”

The pressure and force felt like it was going to destroy his body. He was forced deeper and deeper underground before being forced out of it and into the air again.

“Hunt!”

He sent a slash at Klaus but the river completely devoured it.

“Silent River!”

The river split in two and attacked from both sides. Ace moved out of the way only to be attacked by another section that he didn’t see. He was forced to the ground once again and was pounded by the other two rivers. The rivers were like fists repeatedly raising and then slamming itselves onto Ace. Even a diamond will crack under constant pressure so imagine the shape Ace was in.

(….This River is like a child throwing a tantrum. It must be Klaus’s emotions that are influencing it.)

He was hit by another devastating blow.

(Seriously, how much of a brat is he?)

Ace thought such things while being crushed.

(This is why I hate people, Klick…)

*********

“Ace, you hate people don’t you?”

He remembered a conversation he had with the man that found him when he had no memories and was with no one to rely on.

“What was your first clue?”

Ace replied with an uninterested tone.

“I find it strange. You have no memories of your past yet you hate people….”

“I guess it’s engraved in my soul.”

Klick laughed.

“Then how do you feel about Sora and Hina? Do you hate them?”

“Of course not. They’re family.”

“So it’s okay if their family huh? Then I want to ask you a favor. I want you to protect their smiles when I’m gone.”

“And how do I do that? I don’t understand people nor emotions. I’ll just make things worse if they’re sad.”

“It’s easy. Just do the most ridiculous things that you can think of, I’m sure that it’ll put a smile on their faces.”

“Or piss them off.”

Klick shook his head.

“As long as it’s for their sakes they’ll gladly accept whatever clownish behavior you throw at them.”

“So you just want me to play the clown? I don’t think it’ll suit me.”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be fine. After a while, that role will become another part of you.”

Klick pat his back.

“As a reward, I’ll teach you how to bring out your true power with Boost Player.”

“True Power?”

Klick nodded.

“But what I’m about to teach you is a very dangerous technique. You might end up turning into Tyrant since it frees you of all restraints. So you’ll have to promise me that you’ll only use it when there’s no other choice.”

“….Deal.”

*******

“Sora is gonna be pissed but there’s no other choice.”

“?!”

Klaus suddenly felt a cold chill run up his spine.

“What the hell?”

He looked at the rivers that was pummeling Ace.

*Bam!*

The rivers were suddenly blown back and devilish black light shot towards the sky. He saw black static started dancing around Ace’s body while he looked down on him with a frosty gaze.

“Character Change:…”

The sky became overcast and a lightning bolt fell on top of Ace and illuminated the area. Klaus felt the earth shaking underneath him. A cold sensation assaulted his heart and his instincts started screaming for him to flee.

“What’s happening?”

The light from the lightning faded and the earth stopped shaking. Klaus saw a completely different being. It was a muscular man wearing a black armor that looked like it was made using the bones of various races. He had black hair that stretched down to the center of his back. His eyes were gold and beastly and his face was stern and terrifying. Finally, he had a claymore on his waist that had a skull on the hilt.

“Overlord.”

“….What the hell is that…”

Klaus started backing away. This was because of the oppressing aura that he was getting from it.

“Are you going to flee?”

Ace asked. Hearing him Klaus halted. He gritted his teeth and stood his ground.

“Oh? How brave.”

Suddenly, Ace was standing in front of Klaus and was looking directly in his eyes.

“But a foolish mistake.”

*BAM!*

The rivers came crashing down on Ace with a devastating force.

*BAM!*

The river exploded and water scattered everywhere with Ace standing unfazed.

“I didn’t remember asking for a shower.”

Klaus was shocked speechless. Ace had easily forced his regalia away like it was nothing.

“Dammit!”

He pounce at Ace, who moved out of the way with a sidestep before placing his hand on his back.

“Is this what you’ve resorted to? Blindingly pouncing at your opponent?”

Ace frowned.

“How unsightly.”

*BAM!*

A powerful force entered Klaus’s body and exploded inside him.

“Guah?!”

He fell on his knees and vomited blood.

“And now you’re kneeling in front of me. Do you have any dignity as a prince?”

He lifted his foot and forced Klaus’s head to the ground.

“And now you’re graveling. You’re no different from a beggar at this point.”

Klaus wanted to speak but he couldn’t. He had to endure the humiliation in silence.

“I feel sorry for you, so let me explain what’s happening so that you can understand.”

He pushed Klaus’s head deeper into the ground.

“Feel grateful.”

Klaus struggled but couldn’t lift his head.

“This is my Overlord Character. In this character, I can use all of my power that’s stored in Boost Player. However, my personality becomes a bit…You know.”

He looked down at Klaus.

“Do you understand? I didn’t just get a power boost out of nowhere. This is my real power. That means that you’re only now experiencing my full strength.”

He showed a sadistic smile.

“How do you feel knowing that I’m so much more powerful than you? How does it feel knowing that you’re nothing but an ant who I can crush whenever I please?”

Klaus continued to struggle to no avail.

“Say Klaus, did you really think you could defeat Miko with this pathetic strength?”

Ace spoke with a mocking tone.

“Miko’s a Satan and you’re just an ignorant dog that can only bark at the heavens and curse your own weakness. You’re not even in my league and yet you want to challenge the man I call Boss?”

Ace started laughing hysterically.

“Don’t kid yourself. You’re nothing, not even worth dirtying my shoe with your brains.”

“…….”

Klaus stopped struggling and just laid motionlessly. Seeing this Ace smiled.

“You’re finally acting your role. A stepping stone.”

Ace looked at him for a bit.

(I can sense the emotions of others in this character….He’s broken. There’s no will left in him after getting his pride trampled to this point.)

His face became blank.

“I guess I’ll just put him out of his misery.”

“No, you don’t.”

Ace looked and saw Klaus’s sister Tara standing in front of him covered in wounds and out of breath.

“I will not allow you to kill my brother!”

Ace looked at her for a bit and smirked.

“Then stop me, bitch.”