**Down in the collapsed Auction Hall**
Kran peered through his eyes to see Maddeline squinting and focusing her energy, her Mark of the Doctor glowing its brightest green as Kran felt energy circulate, though even he knew that it was in vain. The wound on his gaping torso was slowly shrinking as the tissues worked to reconnect, the bleeding slowing. A hint of regret and guilt crossed Kran's usually cold and calculative eyes as he looked to Maddeline, who was straining.
"Stop now… that's enough. Thank you for your efforts, *cough*, but you must conserve your energy," he said, something that made Maddeline pause, a tear running out of her cheek.
"Why… I don't understand… why isn't the wound closing? Your regeneration's barely being boosted, and that only happens when your passion…" Maddeline started but paused as her eyes widened in realization. "Don't tell me… you don't have a passion for thievery anymore?! But…" she uttered in shock and fear.
Kran merely chuckled, blood trickling down his mouth before he gave a weak smile, his black and white hair stained with blood. "Ever since I was young… I've always been quite the cunning little bastard… quick to deceive, quick to move, to take… to take things. Master Yura saw through it, yet he accepted that it was the way I was raised. He told me words that changed my life," Kran started. "Why don't you use that passion and put it towards justice? That way, no child would ever have to be forced to learn theft like you," he finished, stating the words of his master.
"And over time, I became someone the past me would never even think about… I began to see you all as family I never had. I built a shell. My arrogant coldness was to ensure I stayed *cough* serious for the sake of my job… and to deter others… Truth be told, I never hoped we'd ever have newcomers like Albert Erecus or that boy Riko… because to be a Marked Mercenary is to sacrifice your innocence in the name of bloodied dark justice. It seems now I've lost my touch or taste for theft… hehe," he explained, every word draining him of energy.
Maddeline grit her teeth, struggling to hold back her cry. "That's enough… you stupid patient…" she said, her eyes filling with regret.
Kran smiled. "You never held back with your words or actions…" he said.
Suddenly, a focused male voice came from behind. "And neither will we."
Maddeline flinched and turned to see Albert walking forward, dusting himself off as more of the collapsed hall cracked and broke, dust from the ceiling raining down from the battle taking place above. Jetore walked beside him carrying an unconscious Rennet on his shoulders, clearly annoyed. Seracore and Kiera walked behind, but when they came close, Kiera's eyes widened in horrific shock as Seracore grit his teeth, seeing Kran's state.
"You guys! You're alive?" Maddeline said.
"No shit!! Nothing can kill me!" Jetore retorted, something that annoyed both Seracore and Albert alike.
Kiera ran up to Kran in Maddeline's arms. His wound was being calmed and slightly healed by Maddeline's power, which was now operating at full power, seen by the high green glow. Kran gave her a small smile before his eyes darted to Albert.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Seracore opened his mouth, likely to declare he'd strangle whoever wounded Kran, but instead paused as Albert walked forward, looking Kran in the eye.
"I meant what I said exactly. The battle is clearly not over. The vast amounts of energy we felt above is a sign. I won't hold back with my words or actions either, until that witch is dead," Albert declared, his eyes cold and distant.
Seracore smirked, though his veins bulged, reflecting his anger as he gripped his shield. Jetore punched his palm before smirking maniacally. "Sounds like that whore needs to be pummelled," he stated.
Maddeline blinked, worried, as she spoke: "You can't be serious! You all look like you barely survived whatever you faced down there! Laticia's not the same! In fact, her energy's rising even more! Her Passion Mark might even be—"
Maddeline's efforts were cut short as Kran interrupted. "Enough."
Kran's eyes focused on Albert in eye contact. He seemed thoughtful despite having a mortal wound. "Go, then, Albert Erecus. If a rookie such as you really thinks they can bring down a threat on par with the Crimson Stains, then I won't stop you from testing your arrogance. But don't regret your sentence if you die," he said.
The remark caused Albert's left eye to twitch, irritated. Part of him wanted to point out Kran's state or humiliate him, but then he remembered Riko's actions and words, and the way he behaves. He sighed before nodding and walking forward.
"JUST WAIT! Move, you damn pretty boy!" Jetore shouted as he walked forward.
"Not you too! Think about it! You could die!" Maddeline shouted, but Jetore merely smirked.
"Mind your own fucking business! And there ain't no hell I'm letting the stupid architect get the kill!" he replied before walking forward.
Albert blinked before smiling lightly.
Kiera watched with caution before tearing part of her cloth to bandage Kran's wound as Maddeline's healing slowed his bleeding; the tissue of his intestine slowly grew.
"That snarky kid still isn't here. Think he died?" Seracore remarked before stepping forward, clearly also wanting to join the fight.
Maddeline expected Albert to get angry at the remark, but to her surprise, Albert merely smirked, confident. "Don't worry yourself about him. He's fine," Albert said before walking forward.
"Let's end this shit!" Jetore declared.
**On the collapsing, destroyed roof of the Auction Hall**
Malikar struggled and pushed, kneeling down. His knees were slit open, causing him to respond by tearing some of his military robes and wrapping the fabric on his wound. *Tck, what a mess,* he thought.
His eyes looked up to see multiple slaves walking like zombies toward a petrified Clara, the strange collars on their necks made of Laticia's energy, and of course Laticia herself in the center laughing so much and so wildly that he was sure she'd lost her sanity.
Clara jumped away from a slave, twisting and kicking them in the stomach to knock them out. Every action caused even more hesitation from her, though, because of how much pain they looked to be in.
"WHAT'S THE MATTER, CLARA DEARRR?!!?? Wanna become one of them too?!" Laticia loudly taunted as another red-tinted "Chain of Subjugation" dislodged out of the mark on her neck and tore toward Clara.
Clara's eyes hardened as she planted her heel before twisting and kicking out a slab of the collapsing quartz flooring, kicking it toward the chain. However, the red-tinted transparent chain simply passed through as if the slab were permeable.
"!" Clara flinched as she twisted down to dodge the chain as it rushed from above her.
However, this action would cause a slave to grab onto her waist. Another one ran, pain and regret in his soulless eyes as his body acted on its own, kicking Clara in the stomach, causing her to cough out saliva before breaking free and jumping away. She landed on a broken pillar and panted, her hand touching her stomach.
*I don't understand. I'm a Marked One. How could a normal person's punch affect me?!* she thought.
Laticia laughed before twisting her wrists, her silver chain whip slashing toward Clara, tearing through some poor slaves in the process, causing a blood spray that urged Malikar to look away as he struggled up.
Clara's eyes widened with fury and shock as she jumped away to dodge the chain whip. It crashed into the pillar, shattering it.
"Wondering the deal with those special reddish chains? Well, it's simple, my dear!!! Ahahahaha!!! You see, those are my *Chains of Subjugation*! Extensions of my passionate soul and urge to bind others to my amazing will!! As such, they phase through all non-living matter! And anyone they touch… BECOMES MY SLAVE!" Laticia shouted arrogantly before flashing forward, appearing in front of Clara.
*When did she—?* Clara thought as Laticia's right fingers twisted and danced as she brought down her wrist. The lustrous chain whips crashed down, aiming for Clara's head before being parried by Malikar's swarm of Gladius qui Serpit blade fragments, causing a clanking sound as the chains were repelled away.
"How annoying," Laticia grimaced before her eyes looked to see Malikar, who struggled forward, his breaths heavy, but the same smirk still present despite the wound in his leg.
"Why did you help the bitch? She's your enemy, isn't she?" Laticia questioned.
Clara, who had just jumped back, had the same question in her mind.
Malikar exhaled before lifting the handle of the Gladius qui Serpit, pointing it toward Clara with disdain in his eyes, the swarm of minuscule blades flying behind him. "Don't take it the wrong way. I'm just paying her back for keeping you busy for a bit," he said before blitzing forward. "SO I CAN TAKE YOUR HEAD!!" he declared fiercely before swinging his handle, the swarm rushing to shred Laticia on his command.
But the red-haired psychotic witch simply grinned and raised her hand. Suddenly, one of the slaves—a woman in her thirties—looked forward, the collar on her neck glowing for a second as she rushed forward to defend Laticia against her will.
Malikar grit his teeth and paused, his shoes grinding. The swarm stopped in response. "What a coward," he said.
Laticia merely smiled. "You're too soft. You couldn't bring yourself to execute that attack because it would've killed this slave with me!" she mocked. "Well, no matter! Off with the head!" she maniacally yet playfully declared.
Malikar's eyes widened. "Wait, stop—!" he started, but it was too late. Laticia whipped the poor woman slave's neck with her chain whip, severing it and causing a spray of scarlet blood, some of it landing on Laticia as she grinned cruelly.
"Dammit!" Malikar said in frustration before jumping back, nearly tripping due to his slit knee.
"And you're supposed to be one of the strongest of the navy? The great Captain Malikar, wielder of the Gladius qui Serpit, one of the twenty great scientific weapons?! DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!!" Laticia taunted, annoying Malikar, who focused on his breathing.
Clara, however, had seen enough. She dashed forward, grabbing a chain and crushing it. Laticia's eyes widened as a Chain of Subjugation erupted from the back of her neck, rushing toward Clara. Yet Clara merely shifted her head down to her side slightly to dodge, the red-tinted chain rushing past her cheek and missing.
Clara coldly lifted metal pieces of the chain whip she had destroyed—one of the two. "I understand now… It's time to end your vile ways. I'll kill you," she declared, not even looking as she knocked out another slave who approached her by karate-chopping their neck.
Malikar was at a loss for words this time but kept his cool.
"You've reached the second stage a Marked One can reach… haven't you? *Second tier*," Clara accused.
Malikar's eyes widened, but Laticia's eyes turned a bright red. A dozen red-tinted chains erupted from her neck and raced around, slashing and tearing through her own slaves and destroying more parts of the foundation in a series of blood sprays and dust clouds.
Clara grit her teeth, barely dodging.
"Good deduction, bitch! NOW DIE!" Laticia shouted.