“Any questions?” Charles asked, having said his piece. He had given them all the information he had, from the mansion’s layout, the routes of the patrolling guards to the areas in the mansion with the highest levels of security.

Parts of the manor remained inaccessible to everyone but the Minister and that’s where the trio decided to go. “One of these places has to be where the Minister hides his kidnapped victims.” Max said, “Sneak in, find the place and sneak out. Don’t engage.” He repeated himself, reminding the girls to be careful. They were splitting up to cover more ground. Happiness wasn’t even the last feeling this decision evoked.

“So I stay put, is it?” Charles pointed at himself, secretly relieved. He was to man the gate for a while longer before using the little time he had to inform his brother of the plan.

Progress was slow, but Max still managed to sneak past undetected. “This thing is pretty amazing.” He muttered, playing with the small badge in his hand, surprised that something that looked no different than a coin could help him bypass the security spells. Moving from one landmark to the next, he followed the route Charles had drawn out to the letter.

The unassuming wooden door was exactly where Charles said it would be. Max heaved a sigh of relief. “This is the place.” Mumbling, he pushed open the door, only for the loudest creak he had ever heard to resound through the corridor. The high pitched sound killed his excitement and fueled his nervousness as he cursed and hastily closed the door behind him. A hand on his chest, he held his breath, afraid that any more noise would attract a squadron of guards, but the ensuing silence was reassuring.

A room dimly illuminated by the moonlight. At its center was a bed, a simple bed draped in white sheets and covered with handcrafted dolls and plush toys. It was a place that strangely resonated with the feelings of melancholy.

“Why is a place like this restricted?” Relatively relaxed, Max started to look around, his questions piling and confusion increasing.

The air danced to his tune, an extension of his senses. He willed a gentle breeze to sweep every nook and cranny, but found nothing out of the ordinary. “A hidden passage perhaps?” He wondered out loud, frowning as he pushed his control a step further to finally sense the hollow space behind a wall. Max smiled. “Of course.”

Pulling out books from the book shelf was no good. Cupboards, the bed, the flooring, Max checked everything for levers and buttons, until the only thing left untouched was the single largest portrait in the room, a painting of a beautiful woman with a gentle smile.

Calmly approaching the canvas, he stroked his chin in thought. “It can’t be this cliché, can it?” He silently wondered as he extended his hands and gave the painting a slight tug. Feeling resistance, his eyes flickered with anticipation as he used more strength. The soft click and the portion of the wall that had slowly begun to disappear confirmed his suspicions. “Bingo.”

The once dark corridor was immediately illuminated, the torches lining the walls magically lit up. The stone ceiling and floor seemed to be without end.

The wall reformed behind him, Max knew that there was no way but forward. Vigilant for traps and ambushes, he made his way forward, alternating between a walk and a nervous jog before ultimately stopping before a steel door.

Once again calling upon the air, Max used a gentle draft as an extension of his body to probe the room beyond the door. It swept past the walls and the rows of seated figures. For a moment, he felt their breaths like his own, the shape of their body and the sweat trapped in their clothes. Max understood. Eyes shooting open, he instantly knew that this steel gateway was now separating him from the Minister’s unconscious victims.

But the unnoticeable current of air continued to cover the rest of the area, revealing the physique of a man with his back against a wall. Sensing the two swords at the man’s waist, Max sighed and understood that a fight would be unavoidable.

Door open, no plans, Max braced himself for an attack. As the full features of the man came into view, Max felt like he had been hit by a wave of depression. He stood frozen in place while the man casually met his gaze. “Took you long enough.” The man said, gently tapping the blades at each side. “For a moment, I thought we had the wrong intel.”

“What do you mean by intel?” Max scowled. The sight of the sedated girls strapped to their chairs, bruising around their hands and necks, sickly pale and drooling, fueled his fury. But his survival instincts were screaming over his anger. This was a dangerous opponent, a man he couldn’t hope to beat alone. This… was the Crusader responsible for murdering the Phantom.

“Just because Albert has stayed away from the field doesn’t mean he’s grown rusty.” Karl replied, bemused by the query. “But…” He said with a small laugh, “I’ll admit… both of us were surprised when we learnt that it was the lot of you who wanted to interfere.”

The urge to face-palm and bang his head against the wall had never been stronger. A wry smile crept up his face as Max rubbed his temples with a sigh. Someone had decided to make a move against the Minister the same night he had. Was there a point to walking into the lion’s den?

The room suddenly shook. Like with an earthquake, the ground trembled and the ceiling threatened to collapse. Dust filled the room. Explosions loud enough to make missile blasts seem quiet shook the very foundation of the manor. Powerful shockwaves thundered across the mansion, leaving destruction in their wake. “So it’s begun.” Karl sighed. “How about we take this outside? This is hardly a place for a fight.”

Mere undulations from a contest for supremacy had already left the room in tatters. Concerned, Max hesitated, glancing at the unconscious women and wondering what would happen if the Minister and the second party fought any harder.

“Don’t worry.” His hand on the knob behind him, Karl smirked. “This room is fortified with several spells. These women are valued specimen. Obviously, no harm will come to them.”

“Specimen?” Max growled.

“If I were you, I’d be more worried about myself, kid.” Karl calmly led the way amidst the reverberating sounds of detonations.

Max wordlessly glared as he followed after him, maintaining some distance. For the first time in a long time, he sincerely prayed. Liliana and Amy, he was wishing for their safety.

Stepping out onto an open lawn, he saw the dilapidated state of the Minister’s mansion. It had become apparent that the at least Grand Crusader class beings were indifferent to the repercussions of their mortal combat.

“It’s the end of the line, kid.” Karl said, a few feet from Max, his swords drawn.

Faced with his toughest opponent yet, Max instinctively compressed a substantial amount of air around his fists and… made a break for it towards the manor.

“There’s no escape.” Karl sprang forth, his sword ready to strike.

Blade met fist, creating a small shockwave that rippled outwards and served to separate both members of the skirmish. Max felt his hand go numb from the impact, momentarily awed by the difference in their power. One of his strongest strikes had been countered without an ounce of mana, through sheer force.

“This feeling…” Karl stopped to stare at his sword. He glanced at Max, finally remembering the group of teenagers from when he slew the rogue necromancer. “I see!” He exclaimed. “That’s why you looked familiar.” Rushing forward, Karl easily caught up. One sword raised, he sneakily jabbed with the other, this time pouring mana into each blade.

Tilting his head, Max managed to avoid the blow, the blade tip grazing his neck before he made a hasty retreat. Max broke out in cold sweat, the stinging pain, the warmth and the slight stickiness on his neck giving him goosebumps. ‘That was way too close!’

Karl stood perfectly still. His two swords resting on his shoulders as he complimented Max. “You’re pretty good for a Superior Knight.”

“Why thank you. But how about we call it quits and go our separate ways?”

“Impossible.” Karl replied with a shake of his head. “You’re the ones who picked this fight, so don’t expect any form of a leeway from us.”

Max clenched his fists, his expression turning cold. The surrounding air seemed to respond to his emotions, producing a strange hum, fluctuating and steadily revolving around his body like a protective barrier.

There was no way out. The only way to survive was to put everything on the line. And this conviction changed something. Max felt something strange flow within him. The feeling brought with it a sense of clarity and serenity. His eyes flickered a shade of red as he rid himself of all distractions. Amy and Liliana would just have to wait.

True to his word, Karl transformed into a blur and attacked at full speed. He slammed straight into Max’s conjured wall of air, easily tearing it apart. However, this small delay gave Max the opportunity to parry one sword and slip past the other.

Breathing was becoming a problem, but Max desperately held on through the exchanges. His arms already numb from pain, he kept weaving and blocking, looking for a chance to counter amidst Karl’s unrelenting onslaught.

Watching Karl’s advantage slowly become more apparent was a young knight with an urge to do battle. He rapidly made his way closer, ready to join the fray.

Sensing the third party’s arrival, Karl showed no hesitation in pulling his sword back. His mana surged as he swung down, showcasing his might as a Crusader. A beam of energy charged forward and left the ground with a fifty meter gash.

Even with the chance to catch his breath, Max couldn’t feel relieved. Gawking, he pinched himself in disbelief, looking on in incredulity as August hastily sidestepped and chopped down at Karl’s head.

Karl smirked, excitement visible in his eyes. Blocking with one blade, he countered with the other.

Unfazed, August raised his scabbard to deflect the blow and scuttled up to Max. Ignoring Karl’s pensive stare, he turned to Max with a grin. “Looks like you could use a hand.”

“Why – How are you even here?!”

August shrugged. “Long story. What about you?”

“Longer story.” Max answered with a wry smile.

Interrupting their conversation with another attack, Karl struck the duo almost simultaneously. The dual geniuses of the academy barely put up a guard before being blown away. “Is it over already?” Karl muttered, stopping all movement. His attention on the villa, he had a peculiar smile on his face. The sudden lack of explosive sounds had piqued his interest.

Max and August stabilized themselves. Their eyes met and they instantly reached an understanding. Wary, the two were in perfect sync as they rushed forward to launch their offensive, each covering for the other in a barrage of endless attacks that followed – a fluid combination of near unpredictable blows.

Karl appeared to be on the defensive, with little opportunity to counter, but it wasn’t long before the disparity between the two parties to become apparent. Hundred moves into the fight and he still hadn’t broken a sweat. His opponents, however, were in terrible shape. Max and August had ragged breathing, desperation becoming visible on their face as they attempted to land a solid hit. Bruised and bleeding all over, they quickly realized that the difference in strength simply wasn’t at a level that could be matched by numbers.

“I suppose this is as far as you can go.” Karl muttered, watching them with indifference. At the end of his patience, he leisurely sighed and raised his power to the next level, adding his mana to the mix and repelling the two with ease.

“He’s playing with us.” August licked his lips and felt his blood boil with excitement. He was nearing his limit, but he could feel it. He could feel the fight squeeze out his potential. The risk of death had been long forgotten. Right now, he could only focus on polishing himself further. That’s all that mattered. Heavily panting, he stood up and provocatively raised his sword. “C’mon…”

Max glanced at his friend with a bitter smile. Fatigue and a body riddled with injuries had left him on the verge of collapsing. Struggling to stand, he was already finding it impossible to dexterously gather and control the air. Now, the only thing preventing this fight from reaching its foregone conclusion was his orthodox yet incomplete abilities as a Superior Knight… or so he hoped.