It seemed as if the air itself shattered as several red-tinted "Chains of Subjugation" burst from Laticia's body in a fit of rage and violently thrust toward Clara, who was still in mid-air.
Clara's eyes narrowed as she braced herself, a sweat bead running down her cheek. The pain she could feel throughout her body was taking a toll on her at this point, but as the red-tinted transparent chains reached her, suddenly the ground itself seemed to shatter. Part of the quartz flooring of the roof broke into a perfect block shape that platformed Clara, allowing her to regain her footing and push her away from the attack.
Laticia's eyes widened in surprise before becoming a nasty scowl. "WHAT?! How did—!" she started, but before she could finish, suddenly she heard a crude yet loud voice from above yell: "DIE, YOU STUPID WITCH!!"
Laticia looked up to see Jetore dropping from the sky. Before she could react, he crashed into her, sparks igniting from his palms as the Mark of the Bomber glowed bright. A big explosion erupted at the point of impact on her as she screamed, both of them now hidden by the smoke.
Malikar, who forced himself up despite the wound in his knee, blinked as his eyes focused on the smoke from the bombing. *Who was that guy? And how did Diamond Fist get her ass saved?* he thought.
Suddenly, Seracore burst through the rubble toward Malikar, his shield pointed forward. "Shelter Bash!" he shouted, naming his attack. Though it was no issue for Malikar even in his weakened state, as he skipped to the side. Seracore projected a shield-shaped blue barrier that raced forward, attempting to slam Malikar but missing barely as it left behind a trail of dust.
*Shit!* Seracore hissed in his mind before Malikar suddenly flashed behind him.
"Neat trick. You Marked Ones keep comin'," Malikar said with a tired smirk before tripping Seracore, causing him to slam back into a destroyed chunk of the flooring.
Touching back down before stumbling a bit, Malikar caught his breath before looking up, surprised at the prospect. *So, the brats they brought with them survived whatever hell Laticia had prepared below. They're no pushovers,* he thought.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the collapsing roof, Clara regained her footing, spitting a bit of blood before standing up and dusting herself. Her kimono was ripped at this point. She cursed before looking forward as footsteps approached her.
"That was you, wasn't it? Albert Erecus," she said with a neutral expression.
In front of her, Albert walked, his coat a bit worn and ripped from the battle with Jakky, but his wounds having healed. "Now that's a unique way of saying thank you," Albert joked, but there was no amusement in his voice.
Clara softly smiled before looking at the big black dust cloud left from Jetore bombing Laticia. "I'm glad to see you survived," she said.
Albert's expression softened before he walked forward. "Likewise. So what are your orders, Lady Clara?" Albert asked in a formal tone, though the hesitance and uncertainty in his polite voice was obvious.
Clara was momentarily surprised by Albert's question. After all, she didn't expect him and his arrogance to ever take orders from others. *He's changed,* she thought before her expression hardened. "Status report," she said.
Albert nodded before speaking: "Jetore and Seracore are alright. I heard they fought a Clortisax in the fortress. Kiera and I fought and killed one of Laticia's henchmen. Rennet burned down the fortress—I'm sure it's been destroyed by now, at least the lower half. And as for Riko… I… I haven't a clue where he's gone, but according to Jetore, he took an elevator. He's most likely in the bottom parts of the Auction Hall, maybe in the basement area I sensed when scanning the architecture of the damned place."
Clara's eyes narrowed a bit before looking forward at the report.
"And… I take it you know what… happened to Mr. Kran?" Albert asked with as much respect as he could offer.
The question caused Clara's expression to darken before she answered, "Yes."
But before anyone could do anything else, suddenly the black smoke was forced away as Laticia's murderous scarlet aura erupted, catching the attention of the recovering Seracore as well as Malikar.
*Well, shit,* Malikar grimaced in his mind.
Jetore dashed out, rolling for a second before catching himself. Albert could see fresh bleeding cuts on Jetore's leg and shoulder as he breathed heavily.
"Dammit!" Jetore vented in frustration as Laticia's crazed silhouette appeared from the smoke. Several Chains of Subjugation could be seen flowing out from her neck, a gash of blood pouring from her head. Her scarlet red hair flowed like several tendrils as she grinned through her blood, the broken chain whip in her left wrist beginning to twirl and snap through the air as she chuckled.
Despite her visually weakened state—made worse by Jetore's attack—she couldn't help smiling as if she'd won. A cold sweat ran down Albert's back as he focused. *She's even more monstrous than I imagined. Despite the damage she's taken, the energy emanating from her Passion Mark seems to be rising—she's becoming even more powerful. And what are those weird chains coming from her mark? They're different from her chain whips; instead, they feel… spiritual?* Albert pondered.
"Damn you, whore!" Jetore shouted before rushing forward, sparks flashing from his palm as he accelerated.
"Jetore! Wait!" Clara shouted.
Jetore was caught off guard. Laticia slashed her right arm across, drawing the chain whip that Jetore barely dodged by jumping up. The chain slashed and tore through the ground, ripping holes in chunks of it in a trail of dust clouds.
"Tck!" Jetore grimaced, but Laticia simply laughed.
"What's wrong?! What happened to the tough guy?!?!!!!" she mocked before unleashing a flurry of lustrous silver chains that slashed and tore through the sky.
Jetore grit his teeth and sweat as he flipped and danced through the air, momentarily leaping off a chain before dodging it as it wound around.
"DIE!" she shouted as it swung toward his head, threatening to decapitate him.
Albert was already moving, his Mark of the Architect glowing golden as he prepared to use his ability. However, before he could, Seracore's own Passion Mark glowed blue as he pointed his shield forward.
"Spherical Three-Sixty Type Shelter!" he shouted with what little strength he had.
A blueish force field appeared to encompass Jetore in the air as the chain slammed into it. The force caused the field to crack and be repelled down, with Jetore struggling inside.
*Now that's a useful power,* Malikar thought before his hold on the handle of the Gladius qui Serpit tightened. *I guess it's time to stop holding back…* he thought with a deadly grin. *Can't let young'uns, especially criminals, show me up now, can I?*
Laticia caught her breath, her wound already beginning to regenerate as Albert's eyes widened.
"How the hell?!" he questioned, making direct eye contact with the Witch of Chains herself.
Laticia's smile was cold and powerful even in her current state as she walked forward, stepping on the corpses of the countless slaves she had slaughtered in the battle with Clara and Malikar. It was only now that Albert could see the countless corpses and shredded remains of horrified innocent people littering the ground in red. The sight made his stomach turn despite Albert himself having committed similar acts before.
"Oh… you're a cute one! Would you like to become my slave? I can—" Laticia was interrupted as Albert glared at her with cold determination.
"I asked you a question… How did your wounds heal? And explain those chains," he said.
The brutal humor in Laticia's expression vanished as she looked down at him coldly. "Fine, but only because I decided I'm going to kill you too now," she replied.
With a mocking grin, Laticia explained: "My Passion Mark—the Mark of the Enslaver—grants me the base ability to enslave the will of any unfortunate soul I touch! They lose their sense of self! Become a mindless slave that does my bidding! My plaything! As a side effect, each person I enslave is granted the physical strength of a Marked One too!"
Clara's eyes widened. "I see. So that is why that punch from your *slave* hurt me earlier," she concluded.
Laticia only grinned.
"That doesn't explain those *Chains of Subjugation*, nor your insane rate of regeneration—high for even a Marked One," Clara said.
Laticia's red eyes fell on Clara and Albert before she gently turned to her side and pointed to the Passion Mark on her neck. Albert grew shocked at what he saw.
The Mark of the Enslaver depicted the symbol of a heart grasped and bound by chains. Yes, however, there were… two of them now, and very large, covering her entire neck.
Clara looked morbidly shocked as she grit her teeth. "I knew it," she said.
Albert turned to her. "Knew what? What is it? And why does her mark look like that?" he demanded in a hurried tone.
"Passion Marks… have yet another stage to them known as *Second Tiers*. That state has only ever been awakened by a select few, and it only occurs when someone's drive and obsession with their particular passion grows to an unhealthy amount that distorts their being. A user of a Second Tier awakened Passion Mark becomes even stronger, and their rate of regeneration grows exponentially. But… more importantly… they're given more supernatural abilities, as the capability of their power grows…" Clara explained, shocked herself.
The revelation was so surprising it caused Albert to stumble back. He'd never heard of such a thing.
"That's exactly right. As for me… haha… These red-tinted chains you see me create and control are called the Chains of Subjugation… spiritual manifestations of my passion. They're simply a part of me. They can phase through non-living matter… and any living thing they touch… BECOMES MY SLAVE!!!" Laticia declared creepily, her chains dancing like deadly tentacles around her crazed form, her red hair flowing wilder.
Clara almost trembled at the pressure of the energy released from Laticia, but suddenly, Seracore walked in front of her, holding his shield forward to block. "Yeah? And so what?" he said.
Albert blinked, caught off guard. "What are y—" he started before being interrupted by Jetore, who crawled out from the rubble.
"Shut it, Architect. I'm too fired up to listen to yer dumbass rants right now!" he declared.
"All of you! Get back! The mission is—" Clara hurriedly started, but Albert interrupted her with a smirk.
"We are Marked Mercenaries too, Lady Clara. So let us learn from you. As stupid as these two are, they have a point… This disgusting woman clearly needs to be put down for good, and you are our best chance at that. So let us fight with you," he added, to Clara's shock.
Laticia's maniacal smile turned deadly cold. "Oh? So you kitties wanna play still? Even after seeing how hopelessly outmatched you are? How cute," she commented.
Seracore opened his mouth to yell, but Albert stepped forward, his hands in his pockets, his back turned to the weakened Clara as his blue eyes looked at Laticia, his silver hair flowing.
"I have a friend who hates people like you… so… let me do the honors of helping end you before he gets here… because if you survive till then… you'd be begging to die," Albert declared with a cold smirk that challenged Laticia.
"Come at me, then!" she shouted.
Clara coughed before stepping forward. "And what exactly do you plan to do to help me kill her?" Clara questioned.
Albert smiled coldly. "Isn't it obvious? Her passion and will lies in her chains—it's who she is… so… we're going to break the chains…" he said to Clara's surprise.