After the assassin called, Obsidian said, "Time to let the banquet of death begin."
Álfrinn said, "So, you are the filth that caused my lady to be so worried. And that's why I'm here."
The assassin said, "How the hell did you find me?"
Álfrinn said, "I couldn't care less about your little banquet of death."
Seeing Álfrinn, the assassin couldn't help but think, What the hell is he? He not only found and sneaked up behind me without me noticing, but his magic power… it's monstrous. If I even anger him in the slightest, he will kill me without any second thoughts.
Álfrinn said, "Do whatever the hell you want, but if your actions are ever proven to be a nuisance to my lady, I will rip your insides out before crushing your heart with my own hands."
And Álfrinn disappeared in the blink of an eye without any trace.
When Abel came to the Admiral's dorms, Abel said, "Gaia, is Liebe here?"
Gaia said, "No, he and big sis Alysa just went out."
Abel said, "Oh, ok."
Gaia said, "Where have you been, nice guy, for the past few days?"
Abel said, "I have been thinking, and I have to apologize to Liebe."
As the black mist surrounded them, the assassin stated, "Sorry to say, but both your journeys end here."
Abel said, "Gaia, stay behind me!"
As he threw knives towards them, Abel barely dodged them.
The assassin said, "Good job there. Really, no fun if the hunt ends too soon."
Abel said, "You killed more than nine of my friends. I will avenge them, no matter what."
The assassin just laughed and stated, "Brother, sister, mother, friend—whenever one dies, others come for revenge and end up joining the pile of corpses."
Abel said, "Ash Magic: Ash Blades!" As blades made of ash flew towards the assassin, yet he dodged all of them.
He said, "Toys like these can never harm me. Now, Water Magic: Dead End's Blade!" As a giant blade of water was created, and each strike would rip them into two.
Abel said, "Gaia, get out of here! Get Licht, or Alysa, or anyone else. I will handle him."
Gaia said, "But, nice guy, I can't—"
Abel said, "We don't have time to argue. Get the hell out of here now! Ash Magic: Shield of Grey!" As he defended a strike.
The assassin said, "Now, that's quite unfortunate, isn't it? You will die alone, and I won't get the opportunity to savor your death because I have to go after her."
Abel said, "Quickly, huh? You are right. I'm not as strong as Liebe, or as precise as Licht, nor do I have the tremendous magic power like Alysa or the brains of Isurugi. But I will not die quickly. I will not let you kill Gaia. After everything, saving her is the only thing I can do for Liebe. So I won't let you kill me, no matter what. No matter whatever bloodlust you show."
The assassin said, "Is that so? My bloodlust is nothing but a drop in the ocean of what I saw ten years ago. That day, I saw the light. That night, at the castle, I felt it—such bloodlust. I saw my own death. Such magic power, such hatred, I could feel it all. Yet, unfortunately, it disappeared just as it appeared. That night, I was reborn as a new man."
Abel said, "I couldn't care less about your twisted logic. All I need to do is stall you for a few minutes, and Liebe and everyone will come and kill you. Then we will see who is laughing."
As the giant water blade kept striking, Abel could do nothing but block.
As the assassin vanished in the mist, Abel said, "Where did he go?"
As he appeared behind, the assassin said, "Nowhere. If I vanished now, how could I savor your death?" From behind, he grabbed Abel's right wrist and broke his ankle, then kicked him in the knee and broke his left knee as well.
The assassin said, "All alone and now defenseless as well."
Abel smiled and said, "Yeah, I'm defenseless. But I'm not alone. Hell no, I was never alone. Liebe, Alysa, Hedin, Lumos, Licht—they were there for me. And now, if I can't even stand, it would be denying everything they stand for."
As the giant blade penetrated him from the back, the assassin said, "Sentimental words from a corpse hold no value."
As Abel was on his knees with the ground soaked in blood, as the assassin rushed to kill him, he saw his death approaching. Yet, he couldn't help but think of the faces of his parents and think, Sorry, Dad, I couldn't make you proud. Sorry, Mom, I couldn't return home. This time, I will miss your lasagna and the laughs in the kitchen.
Now, "Dark Magic: Black Slash!" As the slash attack came between Abel and the assassin.
Liebe said, "I will not miss twice."
Abel said, "Liebe, you came for me."
Liebe said, "Of course, I came for you. Now, Dark Magic: World Tree's Demise!" As the giant water blade was destroyed. "Now, Dark Magic: Dark Bits!" As swords of darkness appeared, the blades followed the assassin and struck him in the leg.
Gaia said, and Alysa said, "Abel, we are here!"
Liebe said, "Heal him now! He doesn't have time left."
Alysa said, "Poor Abel, you are hurt real bad."
Abel said, "You guys came for me."
Alysa said, "Save your strength. We will heal you."
Gaia said, "Magic: Heal!" As the golden flames tried to heal him, but his wounds were getting worse.
Alysa said, "It isn't working," as Alysa tried to close his wounds using magic.
Liebe said, "There is no choice. Normally, under any other circumstance, I would never use this spell ever again. But since Abel doesn't have much time left now..."
"From the depths of my heart, darkness arose.
May those who bear hatred turn to dust,
Those who doubt it—witness my strength.
My dark magic: Blackened Abyss!"
As the ground in a 200-meter radius turned pitch black, Liebe said, "Now, arise!" As black rose bushes started to form in the ground, and the rose vines engulfed Abel and the others. Liebe said, "Now, bloom!" As the rose buds bloomed, Abel was being healed, at least.
The assassin said, "You are a fool to divide your attention in a battle against me."
Liebe said, "Oh, I haven't forgotten."
The assassin said, "Water Magic: Pierce!" As knives of water matter went towards Liebe.
Liebe said, "Dark Magic: Bloodlust!" As, in an instant, out of 200 blades, not a single one made it past him. Liebe said, "Crap, I'm losing control. Even using it for a moment makes me lose control."
As the assassin was shocked to see Liebe's rage and hatred, the pure bloodlust reminded him of ten years ago.
Liebe said, "I'm ending this. Now, Dark X Attribute: Steel Magic Demonics!" As he changed into his demonic form. "Now, Dark Magic: Vesta Grand Blades!"
The assassin was at the breaking point. Even with the giant sword supporting him, he couldn't do anything against the onslaught of attacks.
The assassin said, "Who are you?"
Liebe said, "I'm Liebe Faust, the one who will end you."
As Liebe's attack left him bleeding out, the assassin said, "Mask of Ifrit: Model Fire and Earth!" Even with the attributes, he couldn't do anything.
Liebe said, "Cheap tricks won't save you. Mask of Ifrit only helps weaklings grow a bit. But unless you have mastered your own attribute, you will die. It's time to end this."
The assassin said, "Swords of Water, Shield of Stone, and Breath of Flame!"
Liebe said, "Dark Magic: Vesta Grand Blades, once more!"
The assassin screamed, "You really think killing me will end this? I am everything that is wrong with the knighthood. Even if I die here, someone like me will rise again, no matter who you kill. It won't stop. I am the necessary evil that this corrupted world needs. I reject you and all the evils of the knighthood you represent. A place where the people can't feel safe isn't a knighthood in the slightest. Those days of hell are over. The new bright dawn will arise!"
As the attacks clashed, the impact from being hit by the tip of Liebe's sword—even together with all his attributes—he was sent flying as he crashed into the wall of the main campus building emblem and shattered it before falling to the ground.
Instead of the mist disappearing, it got thicker. As, in the background, clapping was heard, a man said, "Bravo! Exquisite, quite exquisite indeed. Such magic power, offense and defense at once."
Liebe said, "Who the hell are you?"
The man said, "I go by many names, but my current one is Pride."
Liebe said, "What the hell are you doing here?"
The man said, "Wrath is strong, but you… you are the exact opposite of Wrath and Black Blade. To see such a candidate like you—you are unlike any of them."
Liebe said, "Answer me!"
The man said, "I'm sorry to say, our little chat ends here, little god. See you in the land of Mikill," as he vanished.
And Liebe rushed to Abel, Alysa, and Gaia.
Liebe said, "Abel! Abel, speak to me, man!"
Abel said, "Liebe… I'm sorry."
Liebe said, "Stop apologizing. We need to get you to the infirmary. Licht and Mrs. Serena can still save you."
Abel nodded his head in a "no" and said, "It's too late for me. I'm sorry, Liebe, for everything. I shouldn't have said what I said."
Liebe said, "Save your strength. You can't die here, dumbass. Unlike others, you have a family. Your parents still care about you. You still have a goddamn warm home to return to. Among all of you, you deserve to live the most."
Abel said, "Liebe, are we still friends? Do you still consider me a friend, even after all I did?"
Liebe said, "Of course, I do, dumbass. You need help."
Abel said, "That puts my soul at rest. And after you left, I thought about it—how people treat half-breeds like us without ever getting to know us. If I told everyone, the hatred would go to Gaia. And I got to know her as a person and a little sister. I realized nothing would change, and the hatred would go to her and the devils. What kind of a brother would I be?"
As tears flowed in his eyes, even Alysa and Gaia were crying.
Abel said, "Why are you crying? We should always say goodbyes with a smile."
Liebe said, "Don't say that. Mrs. Serena is on the way."
Abel said, "I have lost far too much blood, but I can rest easy knowing I died doing the right thing and that I still have a friend like you. And don't forget me after becoming famous."
Liebe said, "How can you say that?"
Abel said, "Just kidding, since you already are famous. Can you do me one last favor?"
Liebe said, "Anything," as he gave his hand. Liebe grabbed it.
Abel said, "I'm sorry if I ask too much, but tell my parents I died happy. I died a knight's death, and that I'm grateful to have been born to such strong parents. And if you ever get the chance, please visit our home, the house Zenic, and try some of my mom's famous lasagna. You will like it. Visiting once in a while will keep them company."
Gaia, while crying, said, "Nice guy, please don't leave us."
Abel said, "I'm sorry, Gaia. You were like a younger sister to me, but at least I was able to save you. Sorry I won't be able to bring you any more snacks."
Liebe said, "Abel, please," as he was full-blown crying.
Abel said, "Thank you for being my friend," as Abel is no more.
Alysa said, "Liebe, Abel is no more."
Liebe said, "Why? Why the hell did you have to die in a time like this? Goddamn it!"
Soon, Licht and Mrs. Serena came and saw what happened. Licht shed a tear and said, "I don't accept it."
Meanwhile, far away, as the assassin was walking away, he said, "How the hell did I lose to a half-breed?"
Álfrinn, from behind, said, "I warned you. Even being the slightest nuisance to my lady, I will rip your insides out. And you dare cause her grief?"
As the assassin charged towards Álfrinn, yet before he could even reach him, his hands and legs were severed, and he was on the ground. As Álfrinn used his left arm to grab him by the head and lifted him up, he said, "Your death will not be painless." As he used his right arm to penetrate his chest and rip out his heart and crush it in front of the assassin's eyes.
The assassin said, "Please, show me mercy."
Álfrinn said, "After what you did to my lady, causing her grief and making her cry, the word 'mercy' doesn't exist in my dictionary." As he used his left arm to start putting pressure on his skull.
The assassin screamed in pain as he thought, What the hell is he? He is using afterglow to crush my skull, yet I can't move from the pure pressure of his mana. As his head started to go numb.
Álfrinn said, "Filth like you disgusts me," as he crushed his skull into bits, killing the assassin in the process. As he let go of the lifeless body, while walking away, he said, "What a waste. I had to ruin my glove to clean filth like that. At least he won't be a nuisance to my lady any time ever again."