Max walked into the stadium. Max had been told to by two Soul Angels who had delivered the message.

"You actually came." Salazar said.

"He's shorter than I remember." Jin-e smiled.

"I want a crack at 'im." Grim grinned.

Salazar raised a hand.

"This will help you fight." A large wooden stake was on the other side, behind Max. Tied to it was Aidan, Amy, Isaac and...

"Rune." Max stared.

"Max."

"You kept the hairpin I got."

Rune's eyes began to well."YOU IDIOT! I MISSED YOU! CAN'T YOU GIVE SOME SORT OF GOOD SIGN!?"

Maxwell took out a straw hat."This is yours, right?" Max jumped and began to float."Rick taught me to do this." He put the hat on her head."Do you need help?"

Tears began to stream down her face.

"Yes."

"Okay." Max smiled warmly."I'm gonna save you, okay? But I need to defeat whoever they throw at me."

"Don't forget about me." Aydan said.

"And me." Amy said.

"Don't worry about me!" Isaac shouted."Just worry about the opponent."

Max jumped back down and landed softly.

"Ah, yes." Salazar breathed."The human version of a Flash Step. The Manaic Oracle. You can ride to flow of mana to swiftly dodge opponent's attacks." He snapped his fingers.

Two large doors opened. In them where Bysshe.

"Your opponent is the one who failed to kill you." He smiled menacingly."Bysshe Levine."

Max glared at Bysshe.

"Maxwell Lunar." Bysshe said.

"Bysshe."

"Start the murder now!" Grim through a beer bottle at the two."I want to see some blood."

"You'll see some blood." Max said."It'll be his blood."

"Do you intend to kill me?" Bysshe asked.

"No." Max said."I know that you probably mean a great deal to Rune. So I won't kill you. But..." Max's mana raised."That doesn't mean I can't get a few nasty cuts in!" He unsheathed his sword. He grabbed the sword."KAMI!"

He exploded with a black energy. When he emerged, he held a completely black sword with a manji guard and a chain off the hilt.

"Black Blade..." Max said.

"You dare flash such a small Kami in my presence. A Kami is represented by the power of a single soul. You must be weak." His own sword transformed into a mass of blades."Die. Kami." It descended on Max."Thousand Blade Funeral."

SLASH!

Bysshe's eyes grew. A large black wave of energy erupted from the sword.

"Surprised?" Max smiled."Yeah, so am I." He pointed the sword at him."This is the first time I've ever used Kami. And you're going to be one of the few people to experience it." He glared."Let's do this!"

Bysshe stared at him.

"You're so determined." Bysshe folded his arms."Is that so wise?" His sword reformed."Such childish emotions. In this world, there is only the law. And I intend to uphold this law."

"You make me sick!" Max shouted."Does this stupid law imply that Rune must die!? I can't believe you!"

"If I don't uphold the law, who will?" Bysshe asked.

"That's the thing about these societies." He jumped and appeared in front of Bysshe, sword drawn."They're made for rebellion."

Klash!

Bysshe blocked the swing. Max blasted another one of his blasts. Bysshe quickly dodged it.

"So..." Bysshe started."How does it feel to be on the wrong side? You seem to think like a criminal. That is the law of this world. Our justice."

Max felt pains in his back. The blades from Bysshe's sword had slashed him across the back.

"Sinners will be punished. That is the law of this universe."

"You didn't really talk." Max grinned."When we first met. Or I was just unconscious. Couldn't tell."

Bysshe stared at him.

What is with this kid? He keeps getting hit and he keeps getting back up. Is it a secret power? No...

Max flexed his arm.

"I feel great."

"I guess nobody told you about Melez." Max raised his eyebrow as Bysshe said this.

"Who?"

"How else would you be able regenerate at high speeds? If it wasn't a demonic ability."

"Now you just listen here!" Max went off again. But then Max felt more slashes around his back then his arms, legs, chests. He fell to the ground. He mustered enough strength to move."I can still fight..."

"I think not."

A white blade pierced Max's arm. Max fell to the ground.

"I will kill you now..." Bysshe said."In all honesty, I was impressed on how far you were able to get here. After learning Kami from Malcolm, you defeated Kentaro. Which is more than impressive. But you are still just a lowly human. Even for a Lunar..." he raised his sword.

"MAX!" Rune yelled."Don't die!"

I can't move. I can't do anything. Move! Move! MOVE! Is this the end for me? I can't give up but so heavy. I should just accept it. I wasn't cut for this...

Weak.

Grab!

Bysshe raised an eyebrow.

"What the..."

Max crushed the sword blade with his hands. Bysshe's eyes widened.

"Who are you?" Bysshe shook. He was scared. For the first time in his life.

"Who am I?" Max's voice became high and insane."Who am I, who am I, who am I?" He snapped up. His face was halfway covered in a bone mask, with black around the curved eyes with three red striped crossing between it."I'm no one..."

SLASH!

Bysshe's chest suddenly got a nice scar across it.

"What in the world are-!"

"Too slow!" He gave him a huge gash in Bysshe's stomach."That's for the Overworld, you son of a-"

"Begone!" Bysshe's thrusted his arm forward. The blades blasted toward No Longer Max.

"THIS IS HOW YOU USE THE BLACK BLADE, MAX!" He shot the black blast. This one was much, much, much larger than the one that Max shot out.

Bysshe tried to block it with the thousands of blade. But it broke through the shield.

Boom!

When the smoke cleared, Bysshe laid on the ground. He looked way worse than Max.

"Well!" Melez laughed."Time to die, BYSSHE LEVINE BY ME, MELEZ!"

"STOP IT, MAX!" Rune stood at the other side of the arena.

Silence.

"How the heck did she?" Grim moved.

"Easy..."Salazar placed his arm in front of him to stop him.

"You aren't the Max I know." Rune said."The Max I know would never fight for his own will! He would use his sword...to save others...not to abuse a sword." She stared at him."You're no Max! You're just a fraud!"

Melez raised his eyebrow at Rune. More silence.

"I'm a fraud?" Melez asked."Maybe. Where's the proof, though? That you get all hot and flustered when he does something heroic?"

"NO! I'll prove it! I'll fight you!" She raised her hand."Reid!"

Reid bursted through the wall, Rune's sword in hand.

"Yeah?!"

"Save the others!"

"Are you crazy?" Reid shouted."Have you seen what that madman did your brother?"

"Just do it!" Rune shouted.

Reid hesitated."Okay."

"That's all right..." Melez smiled."I kill you and the rest of Max's pathetic friends!" He dashed toward Rune."Die!"

"Max..."

"Shut up!"

"Won't let you."

SWING!

The sword stopped short of Rune's neck. A shockwave knocked off Rune's straw hat.

"Max!!!" Melez shouted."BLAST YOU, MAX! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

CRACK!

Using the butt of the sword, Max shattered the mask in one jab. He dropped his sword.

"Max...?" Rune asked. She reached out."Is it you?"

His hand brushed across her shoulder. He snapped up.

He smiled, his hair flowing.

"Yeah."

Rune wiped the tears out of her eyes.

"Thanks..."

Bysshe stood up. Max turned.

"Holy crap. That guy really did a number on you."

"I can see now." Bysshe said, confidently."Why you fight the law. It is human nature to be free. Universe might govern some things...but not even the universe can dictate human nature. You have won, Maxwell Lunar."

He disappeared with a Flash Step.

Max stood there, dumbfounded.

"Really?"

"Hey, Max!" Aidan shouted."That was awesome!"

"Don't ever do that again!" Amy scolded.

Isaac fixed his glasses.

"Let's get out of here!" Reid shouted.

"You aren't going anywhere."

Chapter 24

Max Vs. Bysshe (Ft. Melez)

End