Their blades clashed, a loud ring resonated from it. Not only their blades physically battle in strength but also their energies.

The aura they were releasing as they remain in clash was also battling each other. The more stable it was, the more it is stronger. Even though Disidias seemed like a fragile girl, her aura was much greater and stronger than Leon’s.

Sensing this, Disidias blustered, “You’re losing it, boy!” With a push, Disidias created a distance between them before she assaulted Leon with multiple strikes to which Leon clumsily defended.

“Are you just going to defend all day?!” Disidias mocked Leon as she continued her barrage of attacks.

All of a sudden, Leon’s enemy disappeared from sight, momentarily throwing Leon in a state of confusion. ‘Damn it. What trick is she playing…?’ Leon thought as he looked around desperately trying to locate her.

“Look out!” Stellar screamed as she saw Disidias reappeared behind Leon and stabbed him on his waist.

“Gaaaah! Fuck!” Leon screamed and cursed at the pain. He felt the hot gush of blood on his waist. He had one knee on the ground as he used his blade as support.

“How futile. Is that all you’ve got?” Disidias laughed.

“Leon!” Stellar screamed.

‘How noisy…’ Leon spitted blood to the ground before he stood up and looked fiercely on his enemy.

Leon once again contacted his inner self, thinking of ways how to defeat his enemy. ‘I can’t lose here. No way I’ll lose. I won’t be beaten again. Never.’ Leon repeated this words over and over as he recalled his enemy’s previous movement.

An information surfaced Leon’s mind, like it was just hidden among the piles of his stored memory. Like how he accessed his sword back then, he had no idea it was there yet somehow it was ingrained in his muscle memory.

“Huh? Up for more pain?” Disidias acted surprised when she saw Leon’s energy fluctuated.

Leon concentrated all of his energy to how he could mirror Disidias’ technique. As he did, pair of wings exploded in his back as if answering to his determination.

“What the-” Disidias was surprised as she was unable to unleash her own despite having been infected for two months now. She tried to, but according to Rion, it was extremely hard to manifest it and even more so control it.

What she managed was a technique called Zeonai. A quick action technique which enables a Meister to move quickly from one place to another. The second level of this technique requires a manifestation of flight accessory which is the Meister’s wings.

“Finish him already!” As if sensing danger, Rion ordered Disidias to eliminate Leon before he could manage to get used to his new found skill.

“Not a chance.” Leon said briefly as he had taken a leap quickly to his enemy. In a flash, Leon managed to gap their distance.

Disidias suffered multiple wounds all over her body. As if she was stricken multiple times but she only saw one.

“Master… I can’t do this anymore…” Disidias fell to the ground as Rion rushed over to her side.

“No… Don’t die… We would be Meisters together right? Right?!” Rion asked desperately as he kissed Disidias’ pale lips.

“Surrender your sacred runes and we’ll let you live.” Leon commanded.

Rion ignored Leon’s spiel and whispered something on Disidias’ ears. After a few seconds, a blinding light has showered Disidias’ body as she recovered from her wounds and injuries. What appeared was Disidias in a complete Meister uniform.

“Forsake the fleeting emotion, succumb to the total slumber in the dark chambers of truth! Activate, sacred rune. Requiem!” Disidias, after finishing an activation chant her previous long-sword morphed into a violin.

“A violin?” Leon was taken aback at this bizarre situation. Not even Jade, his previous opponent showed such a transformation back then. Leon was conformed with the idea that his opponents would be easier to deal with as he managed to defeat even a completely transformed Meister, yet he was proven wrong with Disidias’ recently discovered powers.

‘Why can’t I move? I am… trembling? Am I scared?’ Leon shook completely fazed by his opponents newly gained power.

“Leon, be careful! She managed to activate the release form of her sacred rune, she’s no longer a vessel, but a full pledged renegade Meister!” Stellar screamed as if to awaken Leon’s senses.

Cold sweats appeared on Leon’s forehead. ‘Damn it. Damn it. Move, leg. Move, arm. Why the fuck won’t you listen to me!’ Leon thought frustratingly.

“Feast your eyes on this!” Disidias showed off her newly attained powers as she stroke the violin’s chord with her bow, as if playing a final piece for her enemy’s funeral. As she did this, a shrieking noise destroyed the asphalt, windows and glasses of shops all around them shattered because of the great impact caused by Disidias’ weapon.

Leon managed to cover his ears yet it was not enough to lessen the damage it did on him as he felt warmth flowing out of his ears. Crimson red blood dropped from both of his ears as he cried out.

‘Shit. Stellar!’ As Leon looked behind him, he saw Stellar’s unconscious body lying on the ground.

Rion laughed like a mad-man, celebrating their success, “We are the victors! Disidias! I knew it, you are so great!”

Leon fell to the ground, his eyes bleary as he started to lose his consciousness. ‘Will my life end here?’

“How nice! This power… How about I play an encore to end this all? After this, you can have your powers back, Master.”

“Yes, let’s.” Rion took Disidias by the waist and offered a sensual kiss to her lips.

‘No way. As long as I can stand, as long as my hand is intact, as long as my body is not destroyed, I will… I will continue to fight.’ Leon thought as he held onto the brink of his floating consciousness.

‘Is that all? Is that all the power I have? I refuse to accept that I’m weak. I reject. Defeat is understandable. But if you die, it will be the end. Death… Death is the worst. I don't want to die.’