An alarm blared throughout the underground complex. The Knights jumped in surprise before getting their equipment ready.

The door to the room was suddenly flung open, it's rusty hinges breaking and allowing the inanimate object to take flight. It sped through the air before crashing into one of the Royal Knights, knocking him out.

"Do you have to kick down every door?" Iris asked as we gazed into the room.

Two other Royal Knights were inside, looking in shock at their fallen comrade, crushed beneath the door.

Don't worry, he's fine. He'll just have a bad headache when he gets up.

"It gives us the advantage." I stated. "And it's awesome."

"It is awesome..." Iris sighed happily in agreement. "You look so cool..."

Well...shit. I don't think I can deny it any longer-

"Hey!" The Royal Knight yelled, running at us with a sword.

Iris jumped in front of me, using her shield to block the sword. The sword harmlessly deflected off of the shield, leaving the Royal Knight wide open.

Iris bashed her shield into the Knight's head, knocking him out. He crumpled to the floor, completely knocked out.

The other Royal Knight swung their sword down onto Iris with unmistakable sadness in their eyes. Their attack never connected however, blocked by my own Arcana.

I pushed the Royal Knight backwards, before bringing my left fist right into their face. They stumbled backwards from the hit while I shook my hand.

I need to do more training with my left hand, that hurt...

I then slammed the butt of my axe into their head, this time finishing the job by knocking them out.

"He's not in here either..." I sighed.

This room looked like a lounge. Not that it mattered, since Isaac wasn't located in here.

"Thank you for saving me." Iris fidgeted while a red tint colored her cheeks.

Stop that. We both know you could have saved yourself.

"Yeah yeah, come on. We need to hurry if Isaac is in this base, or else he'll escape." I replied.

"Oh, don't be so cold Ken." Pouted Iris as we walked out of the room.

In the anime Isaac did go to a safe house which was under a construction site. The thing is, because of my actions in saving Irene's life, there could be some unseen effects that change the safe house he decided to stay at.

After all, these same unseen effects caused me to make Irene and Iris fall for me when I tried to PREVENT Iris from becoming a yandere.

I just hope that they aren't too far gone. Maybe they've only fallen for me, and that's it. Normal, teenager love. After all, there's nothing to make them go yandere.

Isaac's betrayal? Their relationship with Isaac wasn't that good anyways. Maybe the betrayal of Cyrus, but that shouldn't have been bad enough to make them go yandere...?

But after Irene and her "smelling" comment I'm not so sure about that...

While I dabbled in my thoughts we dashed through the underground complex, searching for where Isaac might be.

A Royal Knight exited a room into the hallway, their sword at the ready for any intruders that might come across their path.

Unfortunately for them, they weren't ready for a flying kick into the face.

As I landed onto the ground, the Knight laid on the floor, knocked out and with the imprint of a shoe on their face.

"There's no point in checking these small rooms." I stated as I glanced into the room that the Knight had come out of which, surprise surprise, did not have Isaac in it.

"They've probably evacuated him to the farthest part of the underground complex. They're likely going to try to escape from there, so we have to hurry." I explained.

Iris nodded in agreement.

We continued to rush through the complex. As we ran, I noticed that the hallway started to end up ahead with a double door.

Quickly opening the double door, we were in a large room with an extremely high ceiling. One so high you'd be surprised that it didn't reach the surface.

In the center of the room was a launching pad an upon it, a jet. A couple Royal Knights were rushing Isaac into the jet. The rest of the Royal Knights littered around the launching pad.

"The intruders are here!" One yelled.

"Ahahahahaha! You're too late!" Isaac cackled. "I have no idea how you guys found this place, but did you really think you could corner me?!"

"Why are you doing this Isaac?!" Iris demanded.

"Why?! WHY?! You and Irene were always the favorites, so much better than young, worthless Isaac! I was shadowed by my own twin!" He screeched. "And with you two in the way, there's no way I could become the next king!"

"So, after a deal was made, I decided I'd get rid of you two. I'll show them. I'll show them all that I'll be the greatest Aegis king of all history!" Isaac sneered.

"Isaac..." Iris muttered, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes.

"Cyrus! Kill them!" Isaac ordered, before using the ramp to enter the back of the jet.

Cyrus jumped down from the launching pad, and walked towards us. The ceiling started to shake, and as I looked up I realized that it was opening so that Isaac could escape.

I tapped my earpiece. "We found Isaac, but he's about to escape." I stated.

"Try to stall him." Irene said from the earpiece. "I'm on my way."

"We're a little held up here!" Lily stated.

"We'll be fine though. Stop Isaac for me Ken!" Eric added.

Alright. I can't let a scumbag like him get away.

His complete disregard for his family...

It makes me want to tear him apart.

"Iris, do you think you could get to Isaac and stop the jet?" I asked.

"Not with Cyrus and the Knights." Iris denied, shaking her head.

"Ignore Cyrus. Could you make it?" I restated.

"I could reach there in time and probably stop the jet." Iris nodded.

"Then go. I'll hold them off." I ordered.

"What?!" Iris cried out.

"Go!" I demanded. "I'll be fine."

Iris looked at me. "You better be fine, or else I'll kill you myself."

Scary...

"You're going to sacrifice yourself?" Cyrus asked, summoning his Arcana, Masamune. "Noble."

"Please, as if." I scoffed. "I'm not the type to do some cliche bullshit like that. I don't plan on dying."

Cyrus sighed, looking at us with soft, sad, tired eyes. "I'm sorry. But this will be the end."

"You're right. It will be." I grinned.

I dashed at him, clashing Loki against Masamune.

"Go!" I yelled at Iris.

Iris nodded. Now that Cyrus was occupied, she ran right past. Some Royal Knights tried to get in her way. She easily shocked them with electricity, breaking through their barrier.

I turned my attention from Iris to opponent Cyrus. I can't watch her. I'll only have to hope that she'll be alright.

We broke the lock between us, studying each other as we brandished our blades.

BANG!!!

I stumbled back in shock as the sudden gunshot rang out. At Cyrus' hip, he held a pistol that he had concealed. A bunch of Royal Knights started to surround me as Cyrus stood in front of me. He then threw the pistol away. It clattered against the floor, skidding to a stop.

"KEN!!!" Iris screamed in worry.

"I'm sorry I had to go to such underhanded tactics." Cyrus sighed. "But you're an incredible fighter despite your inexperience, and I need to deal with you quickly."

I clutched at my chest where the bullet hit with my free hand.

And then I started to laugh.

Cyrus looked at me slightly shocked while the other Royal Knights looked a little worried at my reaction.

"Sorry, but I won't be taken down that easily." I grinned.

Cyrus' eyes widened in shock. "It didn't affect you at all?!"

"This suit isn't just for looks. I doubted Irene, but it seems like she was right. It really can take a bullet." I stated. "Now, let's dance!"

Fire bursted around me in waves, blasting away the Royal Knights that surrounded me. Cyrus backed up, shielding himself front he flames with his arms.

As he dropped them down, they were slightly burnt, but otherwise than that he seemed to be completely fine.

Shit!

That's the largest I can make my fire, and that drained a decent amount of my stamina. I'm going to have to avoid doing that again or else I'll lose too much stamina too quickly.

But...this strange feeling welling up inside me. What is this?

"I can't believe it! You've Tiered up!" Loki gasped inside my mind.

Seriously?! I'm Tier 4 now?!

That harsh training with Irene must have built up the foundation, and taking out these Royal Knights finished it.

"My god, you're a monster. I love it!" I could practically hear Loki's grin. "And this ability of mine you've unlocked..."

What about it?

Cyrus readied his sword, getting into his stance. With his feet planted and his sword pouting towards me, he stared me down.

You should be quick, Cyrus isn't going to give me enough time.

"Copycat." Loki stated. "Allows you to study and copy someone's fighting style. Without training and refining it won't be as good as the original however."

That's sounds fucking broken. Unless the opponent abs a gun and you don't have a bulletproof suit.

"It can be. That's why I'm surprised you unlocked it at Tier 4. We must be really compatible!" Loki stated.

Cyrus suddenly dashed at me, trying to catch me off guard. Our blades crashed together, deflecting off each other.

We continue to clash, but Cyrus was slowly starting to overpower me. His speed was quicker than mine. He could swing his katana much quicker than I could swing my axe. Multiple red scratches littered my body.

But as we fought, something seemed to click inside my brain. I analyzed every single movement he did as he slashed me. Every single twitch of the eye, shifting of the feet. Every single breath that went through his nose.

I jumped backwards, catching my own breath.

"A sword-style focused on quick, light attacks to tire out the opponent while parrying to prevent injury and to keep the flow of the technique." I stated. "You outmaneuver them while wearing down their stamina with small cuts, and with an opening, a powerful strike."

Cyrus' eyes widened. "What?! How'd you-"

I desummoned Loki, picking up a katana from a fallen Knight and rushing at Cyrus. We clashed together, our katanas parrying each other.

My axe was definitely a more "medium" striking weapon, unlike the katana which was light and quick. Now that I was also using a light weapon, it allowed me to catch up with Cyrus' speed.

And then a striking pain flared through my back.

Turning around, a previously downed Royal Knight stabbed a knife into my back. I jabbed them in the face with my elbow, getting them off of me.

It hurts! The stab stung. The knife was completely lodged into my lower back. It missed the spine, but it hurts!

I grit my teeth, trying to not let the horrendous pain show. It stung, but I couldn't let Cyrus know that.

Turning back towards Cyrus, I was met with a devastating blow to the face. I stumbled backwards, my vision going blurry.

"I'm surprised. You were able to copy my style." Cyrus stated. "If only it didn't come to this. There's no doubt that you would have become one of the strongest Adventurers."

His blade started to glow. He's going to use Holy Strike on me.

"One last thing." Cyrus said. "You said you weren't sacrificing yourself. But we both know you can't beat me on your own. So what is your trump card?" Cyrus wondered.

The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. Instead, I just smiled at him.

"Unhand me!" I heard Isaac screech.

Isaac was thrown onto the ground by Iris. Looking at the cockpit of the jet, the pilot was completely knocked out. Iris did it.

"I'm here!" I heard Irene yell, appearing through the double doors.

Cyrus eyes widened in realization.

He's right. I can't take him out by myself, he's Tier 5 and much more skilled than I am. And I'm not going to do the "sacrificing myself" action. I'm not heroic and noble like Eric.

Instead, I stalled for time.

As Irene laid eyes upon me, her eyes went stone cold. She stared at the scene, a bloodthirsty aura appearing around her body.

Her empty eyes stared into everyone's soul, sending shivers down our spines.

"What. Happened. Here?"

Oh fuck...