The two weapons clashed violently. Bastien felt the slowing effect and the sensory pressure of the Chronos sword, while Aster received another electric shock.

  Bastien spun around and, with his left hand, sent his fist straight into the face of his former master. The latter staggered slightly before regaining his composure. Alex noticed the electricity coursing through his body, slowing his movements. Bastien’s weapon was the perfect counter to the Chronos sword.

  Another trick from Jacques Chrono, he would pay dearly for this!

  "You’ve changed, Chronos. You’re stronger, but that won’t be enough against me."

  Bastien remained silent. His anger had taken the form of a cold vengeance, precise and sharp as a blade.

  He attacked immediately, feigning a circular sword strike, but at the last moment, he planted his blade into the ground, releasing a paralyzing energy.

  Since his transformation, the young man’s warrior instinct had become heightened.

  Aster anticipated the attack and jumped into the air, delivering a flying kick straight to his student, striking him square in the jaw.

  Bastien grabbed his master’s leg and violently hurled him to the ground, where he received another brutal electric discharge.

  Bastien was gaining the upper hand. He could win.

  Now on the ground, he positioned himself over his master and began a relentless barrage of punches to his face.

  His fists fell like hammers, the sound of bone striking flesh echoing through the room. Blood splattered across his knuckles, but he didn’t stop. Not yet. Then, with a ragged breath, he halted. His breathing was heavy, his hands trembling.

  Deep down, Bastien had wanted to kill his master, but he didn’t understand why he had stopped. Aster opened a blood-swollen eye. He was still alive.

  "Don’t let up, finish him!" Selena shouted.

  Too late. Aster activated his extreme shield once more, repelling Bastien and dislodging his lightning sword from the ground.

  Bastien was exhausted, out of magic. Aster was severely wounded. The battle would soon reach its conclusion.

  The two opponents sized each other up. They knew the next attack would be the last. In perfect synchronization, they activated their abilities and charged at each other.

  Aster slashed diagonally through the air. His blade neared Bastien’s torso… but stopped dead.

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  Aster’s eyes widened in shock. He slowly lowered his gaze. His student’s blade was buried in his torso.

  Bastien withdrew his sword, wiped the blood from it, and sheathed it. His father was avenged, but he felt no satisfaction. He almost pitied his opponent.

  He locked eyes with Selena and immediately declared:

  "This fight is over. Let’s go."

  Selena instinctively stood up and followed the young man.

  "Where are you going???"

  Bastien turned and saw Aster standing, blood trickling from his chest.

  "THE FIGHT WILL ONLY END WHEN I SAY SO!"

  For the first time in years, Alex Aster was visibly enraged.

  "You’ve already lost, and soon you’ll die from your wounds. You are already dead."

  The coldness in Bastien’s words sent a chilling effect through the atmosphere. At that moment, it seemed as if he were the master, and Aster the student.

  "No… don’t go… come back!"

  Silence.

  "COME BAAAACK!" Aster screamed in despair.

  Bastien and Selena were gone. Alex was alone. Alone and free to converse with his demons.

  He had led his own son to the slaughter instead of saving him, blinded by his love for paradise. Today, he had lost his second son for the same reasons. Did Concordia truly deserve such heavy sacrifices?

  For the first time in his life, Alex questioned it.

  Bastien moved forward with difficulty. Now that the adrenaline from the battle had subsided, his magical powers were drastically reduced. He leaned on Selena, who, as usual, remained silent but could not resist asking a few questions.

  "How did you improve so quickly, Bastien? That man was much stronger than you, but you defeated him."

  "I don’t know! You know, I feel like there’s something else."

  "Something else? What do you mean?"

  "Alex Aster was my master for ten years. I know his strength inside out, and I can tell you one thing: if he had truly fought at full power, even with my new abilities, I wouldn’t have won. Look, he told us we were surrounded by the police, but there was no one there except him. Why would he do that?"

  "Wait, THE Alex Aster? The head of the secret police? He was your master?"

  "Yes. Now you see why I’m doubtful."

  "The most important thing is that we got out. Let’s keep moving, the car is waiting for us."

  As they reached the end of the tunnel, they saw the green, wooded expanses surrounding the city.

  Outside the walls of Concordia, a raised black vehicle awaited the two new allies. A man in a black suit, wearing a blue visor, leaned against the car door.

  "Selena, what took you so long?"

  "We encountered an enemy on the way, but Bastien took care of it."

  As Bastien approached, he greeted the man.

  "Bastien Chronos, pleased to meet you."

  "Oscar Le Blanc. I’ll be your driver to the city. Let’s not waste time; we’ll talk inside."

  Selena guided Bastien and helped him into the back seat. She took the front passenger seat, opened the glove compartment, pulled out a bracelet, and handed it to Bastien.

  "This is a magical presence masker. It will allow you to pass through all the city's sensory scanners undetected."

  "Understood. Thanks."

  Under normal circumstances, he would have asked more questions about how the device worked, but right now, he wanted only one thing: to rest and process the events of the past few days.

  For a brief moment, he had wished for his master’s death. The accumulated grief from losing his father and best friend was overwhelming. But wishing death upon another human? That was not him.

  He was surprised by the coldness with which he had responded to his master. His heart churned with a whirlwind of emotions beyond measure. He had always been able to control himself… but not anymore.

  He didn’t yet know what to think, but one thing was certain: his life would never be the same again.