The black chains trembled under the strain of the lightning.

The narrow alley had split into several different battlefields, but Nox could barely pay attention to the others. In front of him, the Lightning Inquisitor continued fighting with the same calm composure as always.

Dawn stepped forward.

With remarkable calm, she brought the hilt without a blade that always hung at her waist up to the center of her chest, pressing it against her skin.

Nox raised an eyebrow.

’Just like that time.’

An intense chill spread through the air.

From within the hilt, a transparent blue crystal began to emerge, growing inch by inch.

First came the guard.

Then the spine.

Finally...

A flawless blade of ice finished taking shape.

The katana emitted an icy mist that froze the air around it.

Nox couldn’t help letting out a quiet laugh.

"I don’t think that’s the proper way to unsheathe a katana."

Dawn barely turned her head.

"Oh? It isn’t?"

"I’d say they’re usually pulled out of a scabbard..."

Nox shrugged.

"But I’m not a swordsman, so maybe I shouldn’t judge."

A faint smile appeared on the princess’s face.

Olive rested her massive greatsword on her shoulder.

"Are you two done joking around?"

Lightning surged across the length of her blade.

"Because if we’re going to fight..."

Her gaze became completely serious.

"...I want you to give me everything you’ve got."

Dawn gripped the katana with both hands.

"I always do."

Ice spread beneath her feet.

Nox took a deep breath.

The Marauder Mask slowly appeared over his face.

His Demonic Dual Knives rested in his hands.

He hadn’t even finished settling into his stance before Dawn vanished.

The ground exploded behind her.

A long trail of ice instantly covered the entire stone alley as the princess shot forward like an arrow.

Olive barely reacted in time.

The katana clashed against the massive greatsword.

Lightning and ice erupted in every direction.

The stones began to freeze while tiny bolts of electricity danced across the walls.

Olive pushed with all her strength.

"I’ll never understand why you refuse to fulfill your duties as a princess."

Dawn held her ground without giving up a single inch.

"I’ve told you a thousand times!"

An icy wind swept through her white hair.

"I don’t care about those duties!"

The katana released even more frost.

"Or that damned title!"

With a graceful twist, she forced Olive back half a step.

"I just want to be free! And stop living surrounded by my family’s lies!"

Olive frowned.

"Anyone would give everything to be in your place."

Dawn let out a dry laugh.

"Then stop staring at other people’s lives..."

The princess smiled.

"...and pay attention to your own."

Olive hesitated for the briefest instant.

"What?"

"Because you don’t even know what’s behind your back."

The Inquisitor’s eyes widened.

Too late.

Nox’s black chains burst from the shadows.

Both of her arms were instantly pinned in place.

Olive barely managed to turn her head.

"When...?"

Nox was already behind her.

Both demonic daggers descended straight toward her neck.

"Now."

Olive reacted purely on instinct.

She twisted her body slightly and raised her left arm.

The demonic blade pierced part of her metal armor, scorching it.

Sparks flew in every direction.

The knife only managed to sink a few inches.

"Tsk."

Nox clicked his tongue.

’She’s tough.’

But Dawn was already prepared.

She drove her katana into the ground.

"Freeze."

Ice began spreading across the black chains.

It crawled along every link.

It reached Olive’s arms.

And continued growing.

Within seconds...

A massive pillar of ice held the Inquisitor suspended completely off the ground.

Olive struggled to free one arm, but couldn’t move.

Lightning raced through the frozen prison.

Tiny cracks slowly began to appear.

Nox smiled beneath his mask.

"Nice combination."

Without taking her eyes off their enemy, Dawn answered,

"You pin her down, and I’ll handle the rest."

◇◆◇

Several dozen meters away...

Flames painted the entire alley orange.

The spears collided again and again.

Ava smiled.

She seemed to enjoy every exchange.

"Now this is fun!"

The blonde thrust straight toward her opponent’s chest.

Tessa deflected it effortlessly.

The wings of fire spread across her back illuminated the darkness.

"It’s because of women like you..."

Another clash.

"...that the Saints still hold power."

Ava spun her spear between her fingers.

"Oh really?"

"They sit comfortably..."

Tessa attacked again.

"...waiting for another woman to die..."

The golden spear tip grazed Ava’s shoulder.

"...so they can steal her power."

Another slash.

"...and her title."

The flames flared even higher.

"And yet you still call each other sisters. Every single one of you is fake."

Ava burst into laughter.

"You’re absolutely right."

She deflected another strike.

"I’m thrilled I inherited your title."

She stepped back.

"But..."

Her smile became far more dangerous.

"I’m even happier that you’re still alive."

She launched herself forward.

"Because now I get to kill you myself."

A swift kick shot toward Tessa’s abdomen.

The redhead smiled and leaped.

The leg swept harmlessly beneath her.

Using the momentum, she came down with even greater force.

Her spear aimed directly at Ava’s face.

The Inquisitor barely managed to block by crossing her own spear.

The two weapons locked together.

Ava gritted her teeth.

"There’s something I don’t understand."

Tessa said nothing.

"Why do you still have the Phoenix’s powers?"

Only the flames roared around them.

At last, Tessa smiled.

"That..."

She pushed against the spear.

"...is none of your business."

Her body dissolved into ashes.

Ava’s eyes widened.

"What...?"

The redhead appeared to her right.

One strike.

Then another.

Then three more.

Her spear moved too quickly for the eye to follow.

From Ava’s perspective, it no longer looked like a weapon, but an impossible trail of fire.

The Inquisitor managed to block some of the attacks.

But not all of them.

The golden tip sliced across her cheek.

Another cut appeared on her shoulder.

One more opened across her arm.

Tiny ashes began drifting from the wounds.

Ava staggered backward.

She raised a hand to her face.

She looked at the blood mixed with dark flecks.

"Damn you..."

Tessa gracefully spun her spear.

"The difference between you and me..."

She took another step forward.

"...is that you’ve only had this title for a few days."

Flames once again engulfed her entire body.

"I lived with these powers."

Another step.

"I breathed with them."

One more.

"I fought with them."

The tip of her spear stopped in front of Ava’s throat.

"You still don’t understand what it means to be the Phoenix."

Ava gripped her weapon tightly.

The frustration on her face was unmistakable.

She had imagined defeating the former Inquisitor with ease.

Reality was completely different.

Every one of Tessa’s movements was cleaner.

Sharper.

More natural.

She wasn’t fighting just another woman.

She was fighting someone who knew those flames as if they were part of her own body.

Ava dropped to one knee.

She struggled to breathe.

Tiny cuts continued releasing drifting ashes.

Tessa looked down at her.

A faint smile touched her lips.

"It shows."

She slowly spun the spear between her fingers.

"You still haven’t gotten used to your new abilities."

The fiery wings spread once more behind her.

"That’s..."

She took one final step.

"...the advantage I have over you."

Ava slowly lifted her head.

The huge smile had completely vanished from her face.