“Impossible! Most Mechanii can’t even use a simple arcane spell to light a match, let alone open a portal!” Rhok shouted, his body tensing up.

  Suingi glared at him, clearly offended. “Well, do I strike you as ‘most people’?” he asked with a playful shrug.

  “We don’t deal with Dunkelheit anymore!” Peter barked loudly, though his trembling legs betrayed his fear.

  In an instant, Suingi blurred into a hazy figure. With imperceptible speed, he reappeared behind them.

  “Apatis ~ Sleep, forget.” He whispered, his staff glowing as white mist engulfed them.

  Before they could react, Peter and Rhok inhaled the unknown substance.

  Thud!

  Peter collapsed with a heavy, meaty thump, lying motionless.

  “Rookie!” Rhok yelled, his burning gaze snapping back to Suingi.

  The enemy chuckled deeply. “You truly don’t disappoint me, Rhok Wagner. That spell only works on individuals with a room-temperature IQ,” Suingi mocked, casting a glance of mock pity at Peter’s unconscious body.

  “Fahrenheit or Celsius?” Rhok asked, slightly bending his knees in preparation.

  “Oh! You’ve got dark humour—” Before Suingi could finish, Rhok’s metal fist shot towards his face with incredible speed.

  With a mere tilt of his head, Suingi narrowly dodged the attack. “Would you mind at least hearing my proposition?” he asked, his tone unbothered.

  “I’m not listening to a damn thing!” Rhok growled, swinging again. Suingi countered effortlessly with his bare hand.

  “How loyal of you,” Suingi taunted as Rhok lunged at him again, only to hit nothing but air.

  Suingi’s body flickered like mist, and Rhok’s punch slammed into the ground with a loud clank.

  “But… I’ll tell you anyway. Don’t you want to change?”

  “Yah!” Rhok launched at him again and missed.

  “Don’t embarrass yourself, Rhok Wagner,” Suingi scolded, his eyes closing briefly in a regal, steady expression.

  “I can’t change a damn thing!” Rhok roared, throwing his fists at the air, panting heavily.

  Suingi’s unsettling smile widened. “Aurum Specter…” he muttered.

  Rhok reached for his helmet.

  “Ah~ah! Just you and me, please,” Suingi snapped his fingers, and the white mist thickened around them.

  “Jack! Ambush! Jack!” Rhok shouted into his comm, but the line remained silent.

  “Bloody hell!” He gritted his teeth, trying to steady his breath.

  The white fog obscured his vision entirely. Beyond a few metres, he could see nothing. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, and his sense of smell dulled.

  “This must be some kind of illusion spell…” Rhok’s mind raced. Who is this arcanist? Why is he working for Dunkelheit?

  “What of it? Why mention his name?” Rhok roared, scanning the mist with sharp eyes.

  “Well, he was about to ascend to Platinum Rank… until someone murdered him.” Suingi’s voice remained calm. “According to the Knight Institute’s code 3, if a knight wins a duel, he can take the rank of the fallen. The winner takes all, wouldn’t you say? And you, Rhok Wagner, would make an excellent Platinum Knight.”

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Rhok clenched his fists and hurled another punch — only to strike empty air.

  “Futile,” Rhok muttered under his breath, exasperated.

  “Glad you finally understand the disparity between us. But you, Knight, still have a role to play.”

  “Whatever you’re selling, I’m not bloody buying it!” Rhok snarled, throwing another desperate jab into the mist. Sweat dripped from his brow.

  “See? You have talent, you always have.” Suingi smirked. “I’ve read your file. I’ve studied you for years.”

  “Shut your damn trap!” Rhok commanded.

  Surprisingly, Suingi obeyed, a gentle smile lingering on his face.

  A moment of silence passed before Rhok’s clenched fists loosened slightly.

  “Now what?” he rasped.

  A low chuckle escaped Suingi’s lips. “So, you are curious after all. I know you better than you know yourself, Rhok Wagner. You are a fine specimen — the apex predator with a brilliant mind to match. Yet, like all humans, you have faults. You are blinded by hatred. You still are.”

  “Kill me or whatever…” Rhok muttered, his broad shoulders slumping in defeat.

  “Oh! No denial now?” Suingi beamed. “See? I’m always right. You are destined for greatness, Rhok Wagner.”

  Rhok spat at the remark, but a thought crept into his mind — one he couldn’t ignore.

  I was this close to ascending to Platinum Rank… I just lost interest back then…

  Another thought followed.

  What if… what if I really could make a change?

  “Pawns…” The memory of David’s words resurfaced, etched into his mind.

  The solution is simple… To not be pawns… Could I really make a difference if I became Platinum?

  Suingi raised his hand, a golden ring slid onto his index finger. “We might get to that part soon — regarding your contract, or should I say, binding oath.” He lightly tapped the ring, and a hologram materialised between them.

  The words on the hologram read:

  "I swear on my life, I, Rhok Wagner, will serve under Jack Squire, the Hoffmann family, and the Osten Empire. The importance of order shall follow as specified by those first in command."

  “There are two ways to revoke the contract…” Suingi continued. “One, your first commander, Jack Squire must perform the ritual again and unbind it.”

  “What?” Rhok froze, his disbelief clear. That’s possible?!

  “I highly doubt that’ll happen, though,” Suingi mused, rubbing his chin. “They don’t trust you. Hence, the chain stays on.”

  “Don’t disrespect my brother-in-arms!” Rhok barked.

  Jack was the most honourable man he knew. Through life and death, he was fearless so long as it was the right thing to do.

  “Would a brother keep you on a leash?” Suingi scoffed. “Don’t make me laugh. You’re just a pawn on their chessboard. When sacrifices must be made, you will be the first to go.”

  “You don’t know that!” Rhok roared.

  “Trust me… I know him better than you ever will, child.”

  A dark thought slipped into Rhok’s mind, his resolve wavering.

  After everything I’ve done… they never told me the binding oath could be revoked…

  He clenched his fists, realising the truth.

  I was never meant to be free.

  “Whatever,” Rhok scoffed, crossing his arms. “I’ll die anyway if I betray them.”

  “Then die—” Suingi lunged forward, fingers outstretched like an eagle’s talons.

  A sickening, wet squelch echoed as Suingi’s hand plunged into Rhok’s chest.

  Pain exploded through his body as Suingi gripped his heart, forcing it to slow.

  Rhok dropped to his knees, his vision darkening. Suingi rubbed his back in a disturbingly gentle manner, hushing him like a child.

  As Rhok’s heartbeat faltered, his mind drifted elsewhere.

  A vision surfaced.

  A wildren — a cheerful girl, smiling at him. He had only known her for months, yet it felt like a lifetime.

  Perhaps because she had been there to raise him up when he was at his lowest.

  She was his guide.

  “…Elfa… I’ve missed you… so, so much…” Rhok murmured.

  The bunny wildren spun toward him, her sweet smile unwavering — just as he remembered it.

  As the darkness closed in, he took one last step toward her, returning a faint smile of his own.

  Then, the abyss swallowed them both whole.