While Victor was having a long awaited and relaxing shower, the atmosphere was not as tranquil somewhere else.

Isaac was throwing stacks of Remis into his rucksack with a pale face whilst the rest of his family packed their most important belongings into suitcases.

An immature voice of a small boy dressed in a classy casualwear echoed throughout the mansion, complaining about the hasty departure.

‘’Daddy, why must we go on a trip? You told me that we would go buy a trampoline this week.’’

‘’Aidan! Behave yourself and listen to daddy.’’ A melodious female voice answered the young Aidan.

Hearing his mother speak out sternly to him, the boy shut up and continued to pack his stuff into a travelbag while murmuring to himself about how his dad was a liar.

Isaac heard this of course with his strength, but wisely kept his mouth shut and kept throwing valuables into his bags.

Why was the support Maximus sent me so fucking useless? I imagined that monster could sweep the targets alone...

Just moments ago Isaac had received a message from his mole inside the special department in the police, stating that they had captured some sort of tattooed monster.

The second Isaac heard this, he knew that shit was about to go down: Maximus would never allow ‘Two’ to be captured by the authorities.

Isaac had initially thought that everything would be smooth sailing: A support with near grandmaster strength, his useless lackey disappearing in some ditch and a problem called the Spider was about to vanish.

Who would have ever entertained an idea that everything has just gone straight to a shitshow. I better just pack up and vanish from Runa with my family while I can…

Glancing over to the multiple bags, full of valuables laying around his neatly decorated mansion, Isaac sighed in regret.

Most of the wealth he had gathered so far was about to disappear just because he was afraid of a threat called Maximus.

‘’Lyle! Get the truck ready in five, load everything packed and leave the rest.’’ Calling to his butler in a shaky, but determined voice, Isaac had finally called the deadline for departure.

Without waiting, Isaac continued to pack up his valuables until he heard Lyle’s voice.

‘’Master Isaac, there are two guests waiting for you. Should I send them away?’’ Lyle called in a unsure manner as he knew about the urgency to leave, but he could not ignore the guests.

Hearing his butler telling that there were two guests, Isaac’s heart jumped and pounded like crazy. Don’t tell me it is him…

Isaac looked at his wife and son packing diligently, he steeled himself and walked towards the entrance where Lyle was waiting with two guests.

Isaac’s heart froze as the so-called benevolent smile was plastered on the priest's face, looking at him.

Beside the smiling priest there was an unknown person wrapped in thick robes, covering its body fully. As Isaac cautiously eyed the robed figure, Maximus spoke to him.

‘’Isaac! It has truly been too long. Why don’t we go inside and talk at length?’’ Keeping up the pretenses, Maximus walked towards the house without an intention of giving the option of refusal.

Isaac opened his mouth a few times, but said nothing. Following Father Maximus, he tried to give instructions to Lyle via signaling to evacuate his family away but was quickly blocked by the robed figure.

The taste of shit was quickly spreading through Isaac’s mouth, as he knew that Maximus did not come here with good intentions.

For now, all he could do was to follow and hope that his family would escape the tribulation that was the Church.

He walked along the long halls of his mansion. Exotic decorations, quality paintings and expensive carpets. The trophies and the proof of his dirty, hard work seemed so disgusting to him right now.

Had he not dipped his toes into the muddled waters of the underworld and the church, he might not have any of them but at least he and his family would be safe.

I have done a lot of things to get to the point I am right now… THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I AM GOING TO LET GO OF MY SHIT WITHOUT A FIGHT!

Furious at the sheer arrogance of Maximus disregarding his presence, Isaac was fuming but could do nothing. Even as a hardened man walking on both sides of the law, he still had his weakness: Family.

Feeling the palpitations of his heart, he could feel that the robed figure was strong. Really strong, and thus he had to avoid provoking them into an armed conflict.

Father Maximus was heading directly to the room his wife and son were in. Seeing this, Isaac could take it no longer and quickly hastened his pace to cut Maximus off and lead him somewhere else.

‘’Father Maximus, I would like to offer you some tea. Would you please follow my lead.’’ Isaac laid his hand on Maximus’s shoulder and pointed towards the hallway leading to the kitchen.

‘’Hohoho. It would be best to not stain my official robes Isaac. I felt a sinful presence in the room ahead, so I am duty bound to help those in need.’’ Brushing Isaac’s hand off his shoulder, Maximus rejected the offer quickly whilst looking directly in his eyes with a cold look on his eyes.

The door behind Maximus opened quietly and an adolescent boy's head popped from the crack of the door. Pure yellow hair and bright eyes unstained by the hard life was watching directly at his father.

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‘’Daddy who is this? Should we still pack?’’ Asking innocently, the boy asked with some sweat dripping from his forehead, showing that he had been running around packing.

Father Maximus gave Isaac a cold look and then turned to the boy. ‘’Ohohoh what an energetic little boy you have, Isaac. I am Father Maximus, friend of your fathers.’’

‘’A priest you say? I heard from my friends that daddy is not a good man, can you help him so I can brag to my friends about him!’’ The boy asked innocently.

Isaac could no longer watch and directly moved in front of Aidan. ‘’Not my family. Whatever you want, I will try my best to fulfill it.’’ Pumping out every single bit of mana he had to a full combat readiness, Isaac was prepared to fight to the death.

Aidan felt the strangeness of the situation, and felt his mothers tight grasp trying to pull him away from the doorway.

Maximus looked at him with some interest in his eyes and gestured to the robed figure behind him.

Slowly unfolding the robes, the first thing that Isaac saw was dark tattooed on a fully mature female body.

Beautiful proportions, developed muscles barely covered by thin nun robes and a world destroying beauty. The contrast with the appearance was stark compared to the atmosphere she was emitting.

A mixture of holiness and unholiness left Aidan and Isaac slack jawed.

Feeling that the woman in front of them was a bit inappropriate for a child to see, Isaac quickly covered Aidan’s eyes and told him to go back to the room.

This time Maximus did not stop him. ‘’I may have miscalculated sending only ‘Two’ but seeing that you are already packing, you might as well do a final thing here in Runa.’’

He reached out to his official priest uniform and fished a report with a picture on top of Two strapped inside an unassuming dark room.

‘’Our partnership has been long and fruitful, but all good things have to come to an end as stated in the scriptures. My associate will come to keep your family company while you and ‘One’ go rescue ‘Two’ and conveniently empty a vault there. I heard there is a special grimoire locked away that may prove useful to my research.’’

Hearing what Maximus was suggesting to him, he felt that it would be impossible.

The headquarters of the Special department was basically built with magisteel and the security was top notch. Even with his grandmaster strength, there would be an opponent for him that he could not overcome, Murray.

Maximus saw the struggle in Isaac’s cold, black eyes and chuckled. ‘’You don’t have a choice. The reason for our cooperation was simple: You can be controlled. Besides there is still ‘One’ that can take care of Murray. Gather your men, and keep one thing in mind.’’

Maximus gestured to ‘One’ once again and she quickly vanished from Isaac’s sight. Disbelieving that something could escape his vision and senses, Isaac felt a cold ceremonial blade against the back of his neck.

‘’DO. NOT. DISAPOINT. ME. AGAIN.’’ Maximus walked next to Isaac’s ear and with a chilling tone and accompanied by spit, spelt the words one by one in his ear.

After leaving his message, ‘One’ once again appeared in their vision, fully robed again and the duo walked towards the exit, leaving pale-faced Isaac standing at the hallway.

----------------------------------------

Back at the Ages past antique shop, Victor dried his hair in front of a mirror.

Feeling refreshed, he still attributed the weird feeling in his heart to the wound in his abdomen.

Woah, the wound is already healing so quickly. I should be a case study of those religious nutjobs claiming that holy water is the best tonic. When the holy water would not work, maybe they would line up healing crystals and essential oils next? Touching his abdomen, he could basically feel his flesh and tissue wriggling and healing the injury.

I feel like I forgot something? OH FUCK, Pepi is still covered in grime and filth…Feeling guilty, Victor prepared to take another shower afer washing his puppy.

‘’Pepi!! Come upstairs and let’s clean you up too!’’

Quickly afterwards the sound of ‘’Tap tap tap’’ was closing in from the stairway. A familiar furball entered the bathroom and Victor opened the faucet at the shower again.

‘’Let’s get you cleaned up girl.’’ With a smile on his face, he started to rub shampoo at the fur.

While cleaning, a strange thought popped into Victor’s head.

I wonder what happened to the cute police girl? Will I see her again? It would be nice to speak about this and that, maybe with a coffee in hand.

Chasing the thoughts of going on a date away after a stinging pain in his abdomen broke him out of his reverie.

‘’OUCH!’’ Grimacing with a somewhat pained look, Victor quickly resumed to wash the puppy.

Pepi turned her head to look at Victor with care in her eyes. Victor saw this and quickly re-assured that he was fine.

After the puppy was washed and properly dried, the sound of doorbell resounded and Victor somewhat shakily went on to pick up the food he ordered.

Pepi watched Victor’s back retreat, and heard a cold, but dark whisper inside her little head. Shivering and scared, the puppy soon became calm and a look of brutal violence filled her small beady eyes.

The voice told me that I could get more strength tonight and get revenge for the Master… Bring item with… Yes, after the Master goes to sleep.