In the middle of that night, inside Director Albert's office, Lucian and Volt sat before the desk.
Marco: "Excuse me, Mr. Director, I'm going to go buy some chips."
Albert: "Alright, little one, take your time."
A little while later...
Volt spoke with a hint of boredom: "Mr. Director, why is there no one in the competition worth facing?"
Albert smiled slightly: "You are the one killing the fun with your strength."
Lucian: "How much power do you really have, Volt?"
Volt: "Hmm, that would require a good opponent to find out. Maybe... if I met that person, you'd know."
The Director looked at him with a shade of suspicion, narrowing his eyes as he thought. Nearly two hours passed as they continued their conversation.
Outside, on the rooftop of one of the Academy buildings, Jin emerged from the shadows. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair.
Jin: "Haah... crossing that distance from the capital to here continuously is truly exhausting. If it weren't for that card, they would have caught me or at least reported my presence."
He walked a little, wondering to himself: "But... why did the Director want to meet me now specifically?"
As he approached the Director's office, he suddenly stopped, tensed!
Jin: "Huh? What is this presence?"
He focused for a moment and felt two people inside the office. Closing his eyes, he projected his senses. He saw Lucian... but he was shocked when he saw Volt. He didn't know who this was, but the level of power he felt was enough to make him wonder.
At that exact moment, Volt looked back directly into his senses!
Jin opened his eyes in shock!
Jin: "What is this? Why is that Knight here? And who is that other person!"
Jin hesitated for a second but then thought: 'I don't know what the Director wants, but I don't think he would harm me.'
Simultaneously inside the office, Volt stood up, staring toward the direction of Jin's approach!
The Director: "Sit down, boy. It's a guest."
Lucian thought in shock as he looked at Director Albert: 'A guest? This is the presence of that Dark Mage!'
Lucian remained silent, while Volt sat back down, looking at the Director in bewilderment.
Albert: "Do not trouble yourselves. Leave once the guest enters; there is no need to delay yourselves further."
Volt looked around the room. One of the corners was shrouded in darkness; it seemed the Director had prepared it specifically. In that corner, the shadows thickened, and a young man began to emerge from them.
Upon seeing his face, Volt stood up abruptly.
Albert tapped his finger on the table, speaking with a heavy voice that made them all tremble: "Sit. Will you fight while I am present?"
Lucian and Volt felt terror from that voice. It was strange to them; though it was the same voice, there was something hauntingly different about it. As for Jin, he was stunned by the situation, but what increased his shock was that voice—he knew that tone and its overwhelming aura well. He had experienced it at the hands of Chun Ma!
the two young men looked at him, feeling a bit surprised. Volt had drawn a "dirty" mental image of him, while Lucian hadn't seen him since the day of the fight, and his appearance today was different.
His hair was short and messy—not out of neglect, but with the flair of nobility. His clothes were not from the Murim; he wore an outfit that combined the luxury of the Continent with the modernity of Planet Earth. He stood holding his sheathed sword in his left hand. Everything about him suggested that he was not of a lower class than them at all.
Lucian looked on, and only one thought crossed his mind: 'His suspicion about the identity was finally confirmed.'
Albert spoke calmly: "Do you have anything to say to one another?"
No one replied. The two young men stood up to leave.
Albert: "I wanted to change the course of events, but it seems the minds of the youth do not accept tranquility."
As the two were at the door, Jin spoke quietly: "Sir Knight."
They looked at him, and he continued: "Do you know anything about the Dark Monarch or the Void Dragon?"
All of their eyes widened. They were struck by the question!
Lucian looked toward the door and replied coldly: "No."
Then they left.
Jin sat on the chair calmly, looking at the Director in confusion. Albert took a sip of tea and looked at him: "I didn't expect that kind of behavior from you. I expected you would even try to justify your position."
Jin: "...Sir, do you think the Paladin Leader doesn't know what's happening? He knows, and he chose for things to be this way. It's fine; in the end, things will go against my will anyway."
Albert: "So, you've looked into Kalyon, huh? I expected as much."
Outside the building, the two young men stood still. Lucian was thinking: 'What is this? I've confirmed his identity... and his appearance doesn't suggest evil or malice at all. So... why is all of this happening?'
Volt: "Hey, Lulu... that person. He looks like Marco, but even more than Marco... he looks exactly like that person. What is the truth?"
Lucian was drowned in his thoughts, replying with a hollow voice: "Don't worry about that matter. Just think about what you want to do."
They fell silent for a few moments.
Volt: "That power, that appearance... and his specific knowledge about those celestial bodies."
Volt smiled mischievously: "It seems... I will be removing the blindfold during the fight."
At that moment, Marco reached them: "What's up, guys? Why did you come out?"
Lucian: "The Director has some business to attend to. Let's head back to the dorms."
The three of them went to their rooms in the Academy dormitory.