The fight between Marley and Scathach was catastrophic to the surprise of no one.

Forest of spears impaled the roof as the grey-eyes warrior unleashed a thirty-meters tall firestorm at Marley. In response, the sandy-hair man diagonally held his long sword and cracked space-time with a slash, sucking the tower of flame into a void.

Marley’s heart clenched. [Space Fracture Defence] took a wind of his sail, but he remained undeterred. Marley the Magpie cast another spell. A magic circle rotating in his palm transformed into a disk of circular light hurtling toward Scathach. The circular light, [Space Compaction Sealing], compacted and twisted anything into ribbons. Even Scathach had to respect this spell.

It was a magical duel between two masters. Even Tai Hua and LinLey Tianshang would sit in awe to witness this battle.

Confronting the space blending funnel head-on, Scathach dissolved into a shadow. The circular light traveled through the smoke, compressing it without doing damage. Marley recognized this technique. It was a bad new.

On cue, the tidal wave of shadows rushed forward, circling him inside a tornado of black smoke. A spear shot from the wall of shadow, then another, then hundred more spears came barreling at Marley.

Marley cussed and blinked away.

The 134 spears landed with enough force to destroy the carriage.

An exhausted man warped into existence. Space-time twisting magic wasn’t cheap. Marley’s reserved took a mean hit, but he refused to surrender. He snapped his finger, summoned another magic circle, and started chanting.

“Circle of Space. Fluctuate and blend,” Marley dipped his blade into the magic circle. “I invoke this Space Law, imprinting into this blade as the wind of oblivion.”

He brandished the long sword, coated in an invisible blade, and held it in a defensive stance. This fight was nasty, but he has a 45% chance of winning.

The tornado of smoke gathered, forming the curvaceous figure that was Scathach.

“Wow,” the warrior maid commented. “You have been practicing, Marley. That is an impressive [Space Compaction Sealing].”

“So much for it to fail,” Marley gritted his teeth. Scathach would throw the spear. That spear had ended wars, dynasties, and dignities of many men in history. Marley sweat — what a shitty match-up.

Scathach stretched out her hand, calling a spear into her waiting palm. The warrior madly spun her weapon, creating a crimson magic circle oozing with shadow and fire.

“[First Wave Annihilation],” she chanted, preparing to throw the spear through the circle. “[Shadow Art: One Shot Kill]”

Click!

“Everyone stop killing each other,” said a masked boy holding a gun to a golden octopus’s head. “Scathach, calm the fuck down, or I will tell the boss about this debacle. As for Mr. Liberator, surrender peacefully, and we can discuss the terms.”

Silence.

“Are you kidding me?” Scathach cursed. “Kid, I am winning.”

Rem held back a contemptuous groan.

“You always win the battle Scathach, but that doesn’t mean we win the war.” Rem turned toward Marley. “I want to ask you one question?”

“Go on,” Marley replied, but stayed dead focus on Scathach.

“Why do you leave the witness?” Rem said. “Knock-out gas is darn unreliable compare to a lethal dose of vaporized Cyanide. What with this half-measures?”

Marley looked at Rem — horrified.

“Kid, that’s terrible,” Marley glared at Scathach with disapproval. “What the hell, Scathach? I know you can be a bitch, but what the fuck did you teach him?”

Scathach felt offended.

“He is already like this when I found him!” Scathach screeched, flapping her arms to wave away the misunderstanding. “I never teach him anything that evil. Hell, he barely made it past my minimum standard.”

“Scathach, you became my master because of your grudging respect that I beat you in Monopoly,” Rem coughed, holding the non-plusses octopus at gunpoint. “In fact, you planned to make my life hell, but suck for you, boss golfed karma right into your face.”

In human form, Scathach was a world class beauty. However, the conversation blindsided her so severely that prettiness quotient dropped below that of a bamboozled raccoon.

“You beat Scathach,” Marley looked at the masked boy with a newfound sense of respect.

“Yeah, she cheats using superior stat, but I cheat with wisdom,” Rem shrugged. “The victor kinda speaks for itself.”

Marley turned toward Scathach.

“I like this kid” Marley stated. “Can you give him to me? He will make a perfect lieutenant.”

Scathach felt she was living in a nightmare. Her will to fight to drop to zero in an instant as she imagined the prospect of Rem joining the Liberator. It was a scene of utter carnage and falling civilization. The vision left the warrior maid numb from head-to-toe.

“You flatter me,” Rem accepted the compliment, much to Scathach’s horror. “I have to admit it is a tempting offer. But — abrasive and apathic as my unfortunate master are — joining the group with such disregard for civilian welfare aren’t on my menu. Do you know that your subordinate was committing assault and robbery a minute ago?”

The sandy-hair man face-palmed.

“Three-months of docked paychecks, severe fine and an hour of lecture,” Marley complained to the heaven. “After all that and they don’t learn a damn thing about winning populace’s support. Getting them to be respectful of others is harder than getting Scathach to care. Do you know this is the fifth time I begged her to help solves these cluster-fucks?”

Rem nodded in solidarity.

“She probably shoots your offer because she got nothing to form it,” Rem thought back at the yawning honey badger who put him on a ramp and chase him around the obstacle-circuit with fires. “Yeah, the only way the badger will care is that the bomb lands on top of her.”

“I am right here!” The brunette woman glared at her student and frenemy.

“No one cares, Scathach,” Marley told her.

“Yes, no one care,” Rem added. “Since my master failed to be civilized, I will pitch a deal. But what is the Liberator’s purpose? What do you hope to gain for this robbery?”

Marley suddenly sensed a weight lifted from his shoulder. His mind might not know it, but his body missed the day he could speak without fearing an army of fanatic cannibals being sent to eat him.

“The Liberator was found to overthrown Aurorin.”

“Aurorin?” Rem glanced at Scathach.

“The faction of nobles,” Scathach explained in a miffed tone. “They are the group composed of noble families with the richest history in Phantasia, gathered to form a military might to contend with Emma and IK.”

“And they built that army by instigating violent conflict to boost arms’ deals, and selling captured POW and refugee as a slave,” Marley said in disgust. “Some of them even annexed the overrun territory. They ‘save’ war-torn country and install a puppet government they can control. Their action can no longer allow to escalate.”

“I see,” Rem replied. “To fight such entity you need the Stabilization Core to balance the logistic disparity, but why now?”

“Because Tai Hua Tianshang,” Scathach said with disgust. “Marley believes that helping Tai Hua’s massacre and handing the entire Phantasia over to her is a good idea.”

Marley stared at Scathach with disappointment.

Meanwhile, a young goddess listened to the conversation and let out a defeated sigh. She crumpled down on the floor, hugging her leg tight, and wept. The distance between her and that demon only grew. How could she overcome that monster? Who would pick weakling like her over Tai Hua? Even Marley the Magpie confirmed that Tai Hua was right. Just what she hoped to succeed.

“And after that,” Rem asked. “What is Tai Hua’s grand plan?”

“She plans to establish a new world order ran by meritocracy and potential. Tai Hua will distribute resources base on merit and talent,” Marley explained. “Under her rule, Phantasia will be fair and caring.”

“Bull-crap,” Scathach argued. “You trust an eighteen years-old maniac to control that authority. That girl started several revolutions throughout Phantasia. City-states and small kingdoms are turning into massive armies. The god won’t allow this kind of catastrophic disaster.”

“When do you care about the little guys, Scathach?” Rem interrupted. His eyes dead and unfeeling. “Stop playing self-righteous. You are afraid that you will follow Aurorin into hell when Tai Hua succeed. When do you care why people are joining the revolution? You can’t even see their face from that Ivory tower, so shut up about the uprising, you bring this on yourself.”

Scathach angrily opened her mouth, but Rem’s resolute expression summoned the trauma of Satholia. The specter of defeat clouded Scathach’s will, defeating her before her weapon lifted.

“So you agreed,” Marley said.

Meanwhile, another goddess sulked in despair.

“No.”

Cytortia perked up, surprised.

“I agree that Aurorin needs to be stopped,” Rem discussed. “I agree with the aim. But the choice of leader, your policy, it disgust me. That meritocracy world will be hell. Who is it that will judge talent? Are we willing to use someone who disregards the life of her enemies for the standard of a fair and just world? Sound more like blood-bath.”

“Ruthless means are necessary for changing a broken system.”

“Marley. Hate breed hate,” Rem narrated. “Your ruthlessness is self-serving — accepting that truth is vital. You — emphasizing on you — want Tie Hua’s vision. You want Tai Hua’s merit-base communism for a good reason, and we need an overhaul. But what of those living peacefully? Are you dragging them into this mess too? Then what? Assuming you burn Aurorin, how do you plan to handle the power vacuum?”

“Tai Hua can fill that vacuum.”

“With what?” Rem questioned. “A person who barely has any experience in managing? Now that you talk about Tai Hua, what type of merit is she prioritising?”

“Act of courage, strength, war exploit,” Marley answered. “Turn-in resources and supplies also count.”

“So the strong become stronger, and the weak become weaker,” Rem concluded. “What stops a powerful dick from hoarding a bunch of farmers and alchemists in slave-pen and force them to make pills day and night to farm merit?”

Marley had no comeback.

“You know it as I do,” Rem said. “Tai Hua can’t stop every theft, every exploit. It is a cycle. People keep trying to replace tyrant with another tyrant for ages. The only changes are more graveyards. That merit-system promotes continuous conflict and exploitation. How many Anastasia Romanov is Tai Hua planning to execute in her revolution, Marley? How many more need to fill the mass grave?”

Marley was speechless. Rem was right. They had no goal after wiping off Aurorin. Marley believed he would save the world by burning the corruption, but the boy’s word made him doubt. The Liberators were allergic to unity. Marley could see the organization crumbling from the moment they dealt with Aurorin — much less preserving peace.

Hidden from plain sight, a goddess cheered.

“Tell me who is Tai Hua Tianshang, Marley?” Rem pressed. “What’s her fear, her insecurity, her inspiration? Why is she doing what she is doing?”

“She wants to create a fairer world,” Marley’s explanation was feeble.

“Yeah, that noble,” Rem admitted with sarcasm. “Fair for who? Obvious isn’t it. It’s for herself. Ask yourself who benefits the most from the merit system? It won’t be the farmer, the artist or college kid who wants to make a video game. It will be Tai Hua. She has been throwing force at her problems since she was a kid. Do you buy that strength without love can build a better world? You are propping a horrible person as a hero. A person who resorts to warfare and violence the moment something bars her way. Do you want kids everywhere to emulate that? Do you feel disgust this is the person you tell children to take as an example?”

“What are you expecting me to do?” Marley spoke. “Act like Scathach and pretend nothing happens while the world burn?”

“Hey!”

“Scathach, please shut up,” Rem cut his master out with a flick. “Your inaction creates this entire mess, so sit back, shut up and watch I fix it.”

Rem turned toward Marley.

“You have a good heart,” Rem said. “You are out of options and shove into following the worst as your only hope. I sympathize, so I will give you an alternative. We can both win.”

Marley got to give the kid credit. The kid had identified the biggest hole in the Liberator’s goal. A flaw so massive Marley didn’t want to acknowledge despite knowing it deep down. The ‘We can both win’ offer sounded like an unachievable dream by this point.

“What can a boy who barely stepped onto a C-class offer me?” Marley chuckled humorlessly. “I admire that spirit, kid, but the reality isn’t that kind.”

“Za Wa, I command you, use [Storage].”

An octopus spat out an object into Rem’s waiting hand.

It was a yellow gem that sent Marley’s head spinning. The crystal glowed with a golden hue. Sigils of power inscribed over its surface. Scathach twitched the moment she saw this object. Right now she knew Marley wasn’t losing, he already lost.

Marley behaved like someone stabbed him in the eye.

“The Stabilization Core,” he muttered like a complete idiot. “Are you telling me you hid it in that octopus this entire time!”

“Yeah, kinda obvious,” Rem nodded. He pointed his revolver at the core. “So here is the offer, Marley. The minute I have this, you lost. Try to resist, and I will shoot this core. Try to magic the core from my hand, and Scathach will skewer you. You can try to think of the third options, but do you want to risk it?”

Marley didn’t want to risk it.

Then the situation got worse.

Luxinna climbed to the roof of the carriage and dumped a heavy object tied-up in duct tape in front of everyone.

“Sorry I am late,” the elf gasped. “So heavy.”

Below her, the object, named Bruno, looked pleadingly at Marley.

“Boss, I hate to tell you this, but everyone else is out,” Bruno declared sheepishly. “Sorry, I try my best, but can you get me out of here?”

Marley looked accusingly at the sky.

“What’s the term?” At last Marley surrendered to the peace-talk.

“First, compensate the victims for their bloody trouble, write an apology and drags your idiots out of here. I know you are an S-rank — compensating the passenger for their troubles and injuries take you nothing. In exchange, the core is yours.”

“That’s too generous!” Scathach argued. “That core is worth an entire train.”

“Scathach, we are not here to bankrupt people,” Rem said in annoyance. “We are here to ensure everyone gets compensated for their loss. If this everyone-win-scenario is beyond you, you can always bring it to Satholia.”

Much to Marley’s terror, Scathach visibly deflated at the presence of the mysterious S-word.

“Okay,” Marley agreed. “Written apology and compensation… I can do that. Is that all?”

“Hardly,” Rem replied. “Second, I want to propose an alliance.”

Everyone turned toward the masked boy like he grew the third arm.

“Say what?” Cytortia poked her head from her safe-space. “Are you serious?”

“Totally,” Rem confirmed as he turned toward Marley. “Here is a thing. Eventually, we will face enemies. Tai Hua isn’t even near the top of the list. I need every asset available, and connection with Liberator will be god-send.”

“You want to join us?” Bruno said incredulously, while Luxinna watched in confusion.

“No, we are freelancers,” Rem corrected. “We have the same goal, Marley; safety and happiness of the people. In dark times like this, in-fighting will lead to disaster. We either unite or be eaten separately. I prefer not dying from 23 stabs wounds in my chest.”

“I respect that,” Marley nodded. The strange kid was more reasonable than his master. This was good. At least a leash existed on that time-bomb. “But I can only guarantee cooperation from my faction. The other Liberator’s charter is territorial.”

“That’s fine,” Rem nodded. The fewer people involved in this alliance better given their fragile state. Anonymity was a blessing.

“Oh yeah,” Rem said. “I also wanted one more thing. You are a space-mage, right?”

“Yes,” Marley answered. “Why do you ask?”

“You ruin our transport. So at least fix that by sending us to our destination,” Rem said, tossing the core to Cytortia, who nearly dropped it in panic. “That would be Millian.”

“Why are you heading there?” Marley asked curiously.

“A mission,” Rem stated. “Given how the last one went, I will be happy if the town remains intact afterward.”