“Hm?”

Harut suddenly stopped what he was doing and put on a confused expression.

“There’s been a change in both Marut’s and Eleleth’s anima.”

He said.

“This is…..They were severely injured?”

He mumbled to himself.

“Those two must’ve let their pride get the better of them and let their guards down.”

He looked at the two in front of him.

Both Xavier and Allan were badly injured and were breathing heavily. Harut himself had some injuries as well, but not on the same level as the other two.

“They might be rodents, but even rodents can be deadly when grouped up together.”

He said. He then rushed forward and slammed his fist in Allan’s stomach and then avoided an attack from Xavier, and countered with an elbow strike to the face.

The two fell to the ground, groaning in pain. He then stomped on them one after the other.

“That’s why you need to kill them with everything you have before they evolve past your understanding.”

“Allan….”

Laying on the ground, Xavier looked at his partner gasping for air as blood flowed from his body.

During the fight, Allan has used his body to shield him over and over again. As such, Allan is now in a miserable state where it was strange that he was alive.

“Dammit! Why is this guy so strong?!”

Xavier shouted in frustration.

“Why? Because I’m superior.”

Harut said.

“I’m from the superior race, had a superior upbringing, and most importantly, my faith is superior to yours.”

*Bam!*

He stomped on Xavier’s face and forced him who was trying to sit up, back to the ground.

“So why would I lose to you, Xavier Marigold?”

The wolf mask on Xavier’s face shattered and fell off, revealing Xavier’s face under Harut’s foot.

“We’ve long known that the rumors about you being captured was false. It’s just that the boss wanted to humor the Devil King.”

Harut said.

“But that same boss was captured by your wife and to make it worse, you blocked my path preventing me from reaching him.”

An angry expression appeared on Harut’s face.

“All those actions are worthy of you dying ten times over.”

He started to increase the pressure on Xavier’s head.

*Bam!*

That’s when a powerful blast of lightning hit Harut and forced him off Xavier’s head.

The two of them looked to the side and saw Allan on his feet, slouching over with blood draining from his body, and breathing heavy.

“Get your foot off my king!”

He shouted and formed a lance in his hand. He threw it, which Harut avoided by jumping in the air.

“What a persistent rodent!”

Harut aimed a stomp at his head, which Allan responded to by creating another lightning bolt.

*Bam!*

Allan thrust the lightning bolt at Harut’s foot and an explosive sound rang out when they clashed.

“Too weak!”

Harut’s foot destroyed the lightning bolt, and he spun around and swung his leg aiming to behead Allan.

“Iron Wolf Fang!”

*Bam!*

At that moment, Xavier with his entire body covered in iron slammed his fist on Harut’s defenseless face, and sent him flying.

“Allan, you alright?”

Xavier asked.

“I-I’m fine.”

Allan answered with his body trembling.

“Allan, my animus isn’t battle orientated, so I’ll need you to use yours.”

Xavier turned his back to Allan.

“So, I’ll buy you some time to recover enough to use it.”

After saying that, Xavier rushed towards Harut who was also rushing towards him. He covered his entire body in Iron Skin, while reinforcing it further with metal made from anima.

He became twice as bulky, and looked a metallic warrior.

“Let’s go, Mr. Superior!”

Xavier pounced at Harut and roared.

*Bam!*

He punched Harut across the face, but Harut increased his anima around him and replied with a heavy blow to the stomach.

“Ugh?!”

Even when covered in reinforced steel, Xavier felt the force of his attack clearly.

He, however clenched his teeth and replied with an uppercut. Harut then hit him with a knee strike and then a hook. Xavier’s body started to sway, but he held his ground and hit Harut with all he had.

“………”

Allan sat on the ground watching his king battle an enemy that clearly was out of his league. He couldn’t help but to recall an old memory.

“Looks like King Reynard really let you have it this time.”

It was when he was a teen and was assigned to be Prince Xavier’s guard.

He spoke to Xavier, who was laying on the ground covered in bruises, in front of him.

“Ow, that old bastard…..He should learn to control his temper. I mean what if he had bruised my handsome face. My fans would cry for days.”

The young Xavier sat up and said.

“Rather than the king learning to control his temper, I think you should stop causing trouble.”

Allan replied.

“When did I caused trouble? All I did was sell an old vase that was in the treasury.”

“That was a family heirloom.”

“So? No one was using it.”

Xavier argued back.

“To begin with, why are you lecturing me? Who was it that caused hell in the palace trying to escape after trying to steal the national treasure?”

“Ahem. T-That was a long time ago.”

Allan said while looking rather embarrassed.

“But you’re the crown prince, the future king of this country. You should start acting with more self control.”

He said.

“Self control? I don’t even want to be king. A king has no freedom and is more like a trapped bird rather than a ruler. I want to be free. Free from expectations, duties, obligations.”

Xavier stood up and looked towards the sky.

“So you’re not going to become king?”

Asked Allan.

“Nah, I’ll become it. If I don’t, then my deal with my father will be nulled.”

“Do you mean the one that I won’t be executed if you inherit the throne?”

Allan asked.

“Yeah.”

“I still don’t understand though. You hate the idea of being king, yet you sold your freedom to save me. Why? It was I who betrayed your trust and tried to rob you.”

“Well, I did practically kidnap you off the street and brought you here, so I think we’re even.”

Xavier replied.

“But that still doesn’t excuse what I’ve done. You saved my life back then, I acted ungrateful towards you. You shouldn’t give up your life for me.”

Xavier turned around and looked back at Allan.

“Well, it’s just that although freedom is sweet, I doubt I could enjoy it alone. So I figured I rather be trapped with you than be free by myself.”

“………”

Allan silently smiled as he recalled the old memory.

*Bam!*

“Ugh?!”

Meanwhile, Xavier was trying his best to hold back Harut, who was getting impatient and started to rain down heavy hits on his body.

“I think I’ve recovered enough.”

Allan slowly got to his feet and said.

“Now it’s my time to return the favor!”

His anima suddenly released in an explosive fashion. The anima around him slowly turned electric. Before long Allan was surround by electricity.

“Animus: Lightning Knight!”

The lightning rushed towards him and started mold around him. A light flashed and illuminated the entire area. When the light faded Allan appeared wearing an lightning armor, holding a lance, and riding a lightning horse.

“In the name of my king, I will destroy his enemies!”

Allan roared.

He and his horse disappeared into a lightning bolt and circled around to Harut’s back. He thrust the lance at Harut’s back. Harut surprisingly dodged it and even turned around to attack Allan.

However, Allan was nowhere to be seen.

*Bam!*

A bolt of lightning descended on Harut and caused him great pain and paralyzed him.

“I knew that you were going to dodge beforehand.”

Allan appeared from a lightning bolt pointing his lance at Harut.

“You can use Future Sight, right?”

Harut had his eyes glowing while he tried to move.

“You may know that it’s coming, but if you can’t avoid it, it will only cripple you in fear. I’ve learnt that the hard way while fighting against you.”

Allan said with his eyes glowing. This was proof that he was also using Future Sight.

“Ugh!”

Harut tried to move but his body just wouldn’t listen to him.

*Bam!*

That’s when Xavier slammed his fist in the back of Harut’s defenseless head. Harut fell to the ground. Xavier picked him up with one hand.

“I’m gonna enjoy beating the shit out of you.”

He said with blood flowing down his face.

*Bam!*

He slammed his fist in Harut’s face and the hit him with an uppercut and two hooks. Harut fell to the ground and Xavier saddle him and continued to rain down hits on him.

*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*

“?!”

That’s when Allan received a precognition from his Future Sight.

“Your Majesty!”

*Bam!*

Suddenly Xavier was sent flying off Harut with a punch. Harut stood up and rushed towards him.

*Bam!*

A lightning blast blew him back and stopped him from reaching Xavier. Allan then suddenly appeared before him and thrust the lance into his chest.

*Bam!*

Harut was devoured by a huge lightning blast and sent flying through the air.

“Not yet!”

Allan and his horse turned into a lighting bolt and charged into the air. He appeared above Harut and thrust the lance down on his chest again.

*Bam!*

A large lightning bolt forced Harut down to the earth, and exploded when he crashed into the ground.

“Hah! Hah! Hah!”

Allan floated in the air with his breath heavy.

“This form is exhausting when I’m at full health, but it’s hellish when I’m so injured.”

He said.

“I should finish this now.”

“That’s my line.”

“?!”

Allan looked down and saw Harut standing up. He had some serious looking injuries, but he still looked lively as if the injuries were nothing to him.

“Hm? Is it time already?”

Richard who was watching the battles, suddenly said.

He spread his senses to observe the various battles.

“Looks like all three of them were pushed into a corner. Two are on their deathbed, while one is forcibly entering it.”

He smiled.

“Alright, from here on out the real battle will begin.”

At that moment, Marut who was destroyed by a raging Liam, started to twitch. His body then started to glow a golden light. The same was happening to Eleleth who had a hole blown in her stomach by Christi.

“Wha?”

Both Christi’s and Liam’s parties were shocked when they saw the two Aficionado members being lifted into the air like they were being pulled by something.

*Flash!*

A blinding light flashed and covered the entire city.

“What the?!”

Even Amelia and Reina who were locked in battle were blinded by the light.

“What’s happening?!”

She shouted.

“This is…..Sacrament! And three of them?!”

Serket who was holding Dumah captive was shocked when she saw the light.

“This is bad! They can’t handle three Sacraments at once!”

She shouted.

“I’m impressed.”

She looked at Dumah who had a smile on his face.

“To think that they could force my subordinates to use their Sacraments to survive. Well, it looks like Harut voluntarily allow himself to enter it.”

Dumah said.

“So what are you going to do, Scorpion Queen? Your precious family will die.”

Back at the battlefield, the golden light began to fade. After a while, Amelia could see again.

“?!”

When she looked at the other battlefields, she was shocked beyond belief. She saw the three Aficionado members hovering off the ground while surrounded by a holy light. Their hair had turnt the purest white, their eyes were gold, and their skin were covered in glowing markings.

“Sacrament.”

Eis muttered with a smile. When Amelia heard that, she remembered when Rory was telling her about the Sacred Race.

“Just like the Night Kin they possess superior physical and anima abilities. They also possess a holy form called Sacrament, where they gain a boost in all abilities.”

“That’s Sacrament?”

Amelia felt a shiver when she looked at the Aficionado members. They all seemed like superior existences in her eyes.

She wasn’t the only one shocked, those who have been fighting them were dumbstruck. That was because no matter how severe the injury they received before, they all didn’t have a single injury on them now. Not only that, their anima was far more powerful than before.

“What the hell?”

Allan looked at Harut who looked at him coldly.

“Good job on reaching this far, human.”

He said.

“But this is where you learn the difference between us.”

A couple miles away, close to the mountains that belonged Serket, and was being used to shelter the citizens.

“……..”

Rory who was leaning on a tree silently opened his eyes. The moment he did, a stifling darkness released from his body. The look in his eyes was cold and terrifying. After some time, his eyes and body returned to normal and he stood up.

“Sacrament?”

He said and showed a smile.

“Interesting.”