Chaos erupted instantly. Gakane summoned his shadow clones to counter those rushing towards him, while also spotting the Sage trying to cleverly retreat with a few people. He called out to Devran.

"Devran! I'll handle things here. You go after them!"

"Got it!"

As Devran disappeared, the remaining Awakeners on Nahan's side focused their attacks on Gakane. Though they tried to restrain and blind him with various abilities, Gakane's skills had improved significantly, now able to withstand even the diverse powers of his comrades in the Cavalry.

Drawing his sword, which he had been practicing fervently, Gakane felt a surge of confidence. Despite facing numerous opponents alone, his tension was surprisingly low.

'Visible' attacks, like water and fire, could be avoided by simple evasion. For 'invisible' attacks that aimed to suffocate or blind, he could disperse them using his shadow clone, which would lose its target once it became imperceptible or intangible.

Gakane fought adeptly, concealing and revealing his position at will through his shadow clone. The clone's advantage was its ability to change size and disappear without harming Gakane himself. His attackers were disoriented, as he seemed to vanish and reappear from their blind spots in an instant.

However, Nahan's side wasn't just up against Gakane. Surprisingly, some Awakeners from the Sage's side remained, now more wary of each other than of the Cavalry. They stayed to attack their former allies, hoping to buy time for the Sage's escape and punish Nahan for perceived treachery.

"Nahan! Even if I die, I won't let you off easily! Don't think you can escape alive!"

Seeing this, Nahan's Awakeners fell into despair and rage, believing the Sage had truly abandoned them to ally with the Cavalry. The fact that one of them had followed the fleeing Sage seemed trivial, a ploy easily executed.

"Dammit! The Sage really abandoned us...!"

"Nahan! Can you run? We'll all die at this rate!"

"Nahan! Do something...! We trusted you and followed you here! This is all your fault!"

Gakane summarized this tumult to the Emperor:

"Some rushed at us, some tried to help others escape, and others fought among themselves, creating internal chaos."

As some of the Sage's Awakeners attacked those trying to escape with Nahan, fighting broke out on all sides. With the focus shifting from Gakane to infighting, he found himself with some breathing room.

"...These people. Now they're completely fighting each other?"

Although bewildered, Gakane didn't mind the turn of events. He kept his guard up, surveying the situation while waiting for reinforcements from the Cavalry.

At that moment, Nahan, struggling for breath and supported by others, suddenly raised his head. His burned face and unfocused eyes scanned everyone in the space.

Amidst hurried movements, his injuries worsened, staining various parts of his clothing with blood. A man, pale-faced and seemingly too weak to exert any strength, gasped for breath before speaking.

"Everyone, stop."

Thud.

Instantly, a daze enveloped everyone's minds, Gakane included.

Realizing too late that this was the effect of Nahan's power, Gakane tried to turn his head, but it was already too late.

His head felt foggy, and his vision darkened. Dizziness made it impossible to stand properly. He recognized the disorienting hallucinations but couldn't think clearly enough to find a way out...

What is this? What should I do? No, I just want to stay like this. It's too dizzying... Is it night now? Or day? Where am I? I feel like vomiting. Amidst these disjointed thoughts, he bit his lip desperately.

Blood began to flow from his forcefully clenched lips, bringing back some faint awareness of sight and hearing through the pain.

In his drunkenly spinning vision, someone was screaming, but he couldn't discern whether he was standing or lying down, let alone understand the screams.

He moved his hands, tearing at his own flesh. Striking the ground and hitting himself slowly brought back more sensations. Only then did he realize he was lying on the ground. Groping the ground, he found that his sword had been flung away in the fall.

"Damn."

He recalled learning swordsmanship to become a knight. For a knight, losing one's sword was a profoundly shameful thing.

How could I think of regaining my sword, only to lose it?

The faces of his taciturn but merciless new master Nathan Zuckerman, and his friend Yuder Aile, even more intimidating and resolute than Zuckerman, flashed in his mind. Gakane gasped for air, shaking his head to regain focus. He saw someone's back - it was Nahan.

"Stop right there...!"

As Gakane shouted hoarsely, Nahan turned around. He stood alone on his feet in the space, lips bleeding endlessly with a face marred by terrifying burn marks, staring expressionlessly at Gakane.

Attempting to summon his shadow clone reflexively, Gakane found his body still struggling with the aftereffects of the hallucination, unable to fully harness his familiar power. It was a truly vicious ability.

"...I told you to stop... The Cavalry is already surrounding us... Just give up..."

He intended to retrieve his sword and attack while urging surrender. But then, Nahan spoke.

"I doubted it, but seeing your tenacity and ability, you really must be of the Cavalry. Oddly, you seem less affected by my power."

Puzzled by these words, Gakane hesitated, and Nahan asked:

"Has the Cavalry really joined forces with the Sage?"

"..."

"...Right. Whatever the answer, it doesn't matter now. The important thing is that I have to start again on my own."

Was he prepared to fight? Gakane, tensed, gathered his strength again, barely managing to conjure his shadow clone, staggering and wavering. Despite feeling nauseous enough to vomit, he stood up on his feet, facing Nahan.

The man twisted his scarred face, lifting the corners of his lips slightly.

"I don't kill brothers. Even after facing me like this, the Cavalry still doesn't understand me."

“...”

"I have no intention of abandoning my sole objective. If someone asks about my future plans, tell them that."

Afterward, Gakane's consciousness once again faded. When he came to, his comrades from the Cavalry, including Devran, were shaking him.

"Gakane! Come to your senses! What happened?"

"..."

Having relayed this much, Gakane bowed his head in apology to the Emperor.

"My comrade Devran and I both failed to capture our respective targets. This was all due to my inability to make the best decision at that time. I am sorry."

Devran, who had pursued the Sage, had also ultimately failed to capture him. The Sage and his party had vanished as if they had soared into the sky, by some unknown means.

Though they had captured those they had defeated earlier and those who had fallen due to Nahan's power, Gakane couldn't bring himself to lift his head.

"Sir Bolunwald, lift your head."

Emperor Keilusa called to him. Gakane cautiously raised his eyes. Surprisingly, the Emperor's expression was not one of anger.

"I was already aware of Nahan's formidable abilities. He had escaped even from the grasp of Baron Aile and Duke Peletta. As for the Sage, wherever he may flee, I have an idea of his whereabouts, so it is alright."