Flashback: Kraig strolled through the lobby of a hotel in Pasay City. He spotted Renji carrying Sanillia, Oliver, Risstle, and Charles as they checked in.
Kraig remarked,
"Found ya," before swiftly leaving the hotel.
In the present: Kraig crashed into Charles and Risstle's hotel room. Charles, looking surprised, said,
"An acolyte? This is unexpected. How did he track us? We had temporarily sealed our Anima Mundi."
Kraig smiled and taunted,
"I found ya, little girl. Your brother tasted delicious."
Sanillia screamed in terror. Charles realized,
"So, it wasn't us he was drawn to; it's the little girl."
Thinking quickly, Charles ordered Risstle,
"Take Sanillia and run to Renji. You need to regroup."
Risstle hesitated, asking, "What about you?"
Charles replied,
"Just do as I say. I'll delay him. You need to find a safe harbor for Sanillia. I'll follow you as soon as I'm done here."
Risstle, with Sanillia in tow, rushed outside to escape the hotel and find Renji. Kraig, however, charged behind Risstle so swiftly that she didn't even notice. Charles, keeping pace with them, unsealed his Anima Mundi and attacked Kraig with his blood and chains magic.
Furious, Charles declared,
"I'm your opponent, and I'm going to take you down."
Kraig, arrogantly, responded,
"Who do you think you are? Wait, this energy is familiar. Is this Anima Mundi? Damn you sorcerers! What are you people doing here?"
"To eliminate your ugly race,"
Charles declared.
Meanwhile, from another building where Kraig had left, Netheroc witnessed the powerful World Soul energy emanating from Charles. Netheroc then ordered,
"Alert every single one of our soldiers and eliminate that man and his allies."
Netheroc said to Karlina, his second-in-command general-ranked acolyte,
"Understood, Master Netheroc."
Meanwhile, on Renji and Oliver's location at the hotel grounds, Oliver struggled to pull Excalibur from the ground. Renji advised,
"It's not about brute strength, Oliver. You need to unleash your will to protect and your determination."
Risstle arrived, carrying a terrified Sanillia, and quickly informed Renji of the situation. Oliver was visibly shocked by the news.
Renji said
"So Charles is currently battling an acolyte. Then We need a plan."
Oliver anxiously asked, "So what's our plan now?"
Before Renji could respond, a swarm of acolyte armies approached, flying towards the group. Renji and Risstle had no choice but to unseal their anima mundi.
However, just as Oliver was about to unseal his AM, Renji stopped him abruptly, saying,
"Continue your training."
Both Risstle and Oliver were incredulous.
"Are you kidding us? We're in the middle of trouble right now!"
Renji reassured Oliver,
"Just trust me, Oliver."
Determined, Oliver responded, "Alright, Master. I'll finish this training no matter what." He continued to struggle to pull Excalibur from the ground.
Risstle, concerned, argued,
"There's no time for this, Renji. Oliver could die while training if we're attacked by an acolyte."
Renji replied confidently,
"Don't worry, I'll protect him. It's time for me to shine again, especially after the battle with Aneteron."
Risstle nodded in agreement, leaving Sanillia beside Oliver. She declared,
"Alright, I have someone to protect as well."
Renji smiled, and together, they prepared to face the incoming acolytes.
Back at the hotel, panic had engulfed all the guests and employees. They scrambled towards the exits as the battle between Charles and Kraig raged on, tearing through numerous rooms. Walls crumbled, and they clashed in various locations, from rooms and offices to lobbies, restrooms, and restaurants. Their speed was beyond imagination as they traversed these spaces.
Kraig unleashed aerial slashes towards Charles, who managed to block them with an improvised Tutella Arcanum, a common AM spell shield. Charles then extended his chains from his palms, sending them smiting towards Kraig from a distance. However, Kraig deftly deflected Charles' attack with his bat-like wings.
Impressed by Kraig's wing durability, Charles decided to take a different approach. He chanted,
"Sanguinis Viniculum,"
using AM spell manipulation to amplify his attack and nullify Kraig's defense. But just before the attack could hit Kraig, he swiftly dodged it, sensing the ominous aura of Charles' chains. Kraig taunted,
"So that's the special ability of your chains, to nullify my durability?"
Charles smirked and replied,
"I'm surprised you figured that out."
Kraig responded,
"That's right. So, I think I need to rely on my speed."
He suddenly grinned and charged towards Charles in the blink of an eye. Charles attempted to chant
"Sangui..."
but Kraig instantly stepped back, laughing, "Hahahaha! You thought I was going to attack you? Kid, you still lack the ability to sense the enemy's intent. I wasn't going to attack you at that moment. I was just showing you my speed and stealing this."
Charles was taken aback when he realized that Kraig was holding his chains. He muttered to himself,
"When did he... How did that happen?"
Kraig mocked,
"What's the matter, Chain Boy? Having difficulties comprehending?"
Charles regained his composure, calming his racing thoughts. He said,
"So, this is what you call speed, heh."
Charles assumed his fighting stance, conjuring a magical circle with his right hand and covering his left hand in anima mundi energy. He posed, demonstrating his formidable fighting style, and cast his
"Combat Domain Spell."
Kraig, still unaware of Charles' abilities, grew arrogant, saying,
"Ha! And what do you think you can do to outwit my speed, hahahha?"
Kraig charged at Charles and entered his combat domain, his lightning-fast speed poised to strike. In response, Charles unleashed his counterstrike, aiming a fatal blow at Kraig.
Knocking back kraig and said
"that punch is like as strong as grenade launcher no his fist even more impactful than that"
Kraig noticed Charles walking towards him, exuding a cold, menacing aura. He regained his composure and smirked.
"May I ask who you are?" Kraig inquired.
Charles introduced himself to Kraig and returned to his human form, smiling menacingly.
"I dare you to attack me again. I believe you won't hit me this time,"
Charles taunted. He whispered to himself,
"Is he provoking me? Is he faster in his human form? I can't tell. I can't read his curse energy because of his human form."
Charles was confused until he attempted to attack once more using Sanguinis Viniculum. However, before the chains could reach Kraig, the blood layering around them vanished.
Charles was shocked as his chains disappeared. Kraig smiled and explained,
"Vanir's Disarm. That's what I call my magic. It's a type of erosion magic that nullifies any spells that come into contact with my barrier range." Kraig's smile turned menacing as he laughed arrogantly.
Charles realized he was in trouble due to Kraig's magic. He thought to himself,
"I need to figure out how to bypass his barrier. Well, I have to run around and study his magic. It only triggers when I attack him outside of his barrier range. This is unfortunate if I run out of Anima Mundi."
Charles tried to escape, but Kraig immediately gave chase. They ran around like kids playing tag, but this time, as Charles ran, he unleashed his
"Generation Utilize: Blood Bullet."
A swarm of blood bullets took aim at Kraig. Charles muttered to himself,
"Kraig's barrier can remain active even while he's on the move, I see."
He then taunted Kraig, saying,
"Is this how cowardly you are, hiding behind your barrier?"
Kraig responded with sarcasm,
"Come on, Charles, it's not like you haven't cast a barrier before, hahahaha!"
Once again, Kraig attacked Charles with
"Finger Pierce,"
using his transformed monstrous fingers that almost reached Charles. Luckily, Charles managed to block it with Tutella Arcanum, amplified by his blood magic.
Meanwhile, at the Philippine university, at the center of the Philippine Knight Magus headquarters, a mysterious man with yellow hair, wearing a hoodie, held a conversation with Mitch, the leader of PKM operations.
Mitch stated,
"I need you to back up these kids as soon as possible."
The mysterious man sighed and remarked,
"Ughhh, this is a tiring job, rescuing."
Mitch smiled and replied,
"It's not like you're going to rescue them. You're just going to lend them a hand because I believe in them. They will fulfill their mission in no time. Do you understand, Joel?"
Joel, the man with yellow hair, black eyes, light skin, and average height, reluctantly agreed, saying,
"Fine, I'm going. But you owe me noodle soup for this."
Mitch chuckled,
"Oh yes, it's my treat. Be sure to come back alive."
Joel confidently stated,
"Do you think a master like me would be defeated by mere creatures who just rose from the dead? Haha, they are still weak beings without nourishments".