Earlier.

Mr. Funny Man flew, evading the sound blast. Once again, his speed decreases and turn back. He instantly conjured several vortices of wind, cancelling Benny’s attacks.

Their attacks came to a halt once they’ve run out of breath. Benny panted heavily. Mr. Funny Man, on the other hand, appeared to be not affected by the large amount of mana he used.

“It appears that our Inquiara Magic are equal. What about in physical strength?”

Benny unsheathed his blade and pushed forward. However, Mr. Funny Man won’t just stand idly by. A vortex of wind came after Benny and postponed his plan.

He leaped and compressed the sound waves, blasting the vortex of wind.

“Tsk.” Benny hisses. “Damn. Haha. I totally forgot your wind magic. You are completely impenetrable.”

Mr. Funny Man landed on the surface. His eyes are still stoic.

“Of course. What do you take me for? An idiot?”

Benny chuckled. “Well then. Let’s try again, shall we?”

Mr. Funny Man launched an attack. He swung his arm from here and there, the vortex of wind followed his command and attack continuously Benny while he dodges and evaded the sound blasts.

The explosion between the attacks is destructive as a bomb. Their attacks cancelling each other with furious consequential repercussions.

Benny leaped over the branch of tree. He used the sound blast to boost his speed and quickly turn away again, evaded Mr. Funny Man’s attack. His blade swung on Mr. Funny Man’s right.

Mr. Funny Man, however, already prepared. A razor of wind repelled Benny’s blade and bounced back on the ground. It was well timed.

“Another trick on your sleeve. You’re quite resourceful.” Benny commended.

Mr. Funny Man grunted. “You think so? Let us see if you can say the same thing to the next one.”

“What?”

The ground trembles. Before Benny can realize the trap, the ground sunk into a shallow ground.

“What the hell is this?!”

“If you didn’t let dropped your guard then you would have seen this. Apparently, your boldness got in your head and rushed for a kill without a doubt.”

Benny gritted his teeth and groaned in frustration.

“You shit—”

In attempt to use his sound blast Mr. Funny Man quickly used his wind vortex to overpowered his attack. The vortex of wind pummeled him on the ground.

“Oh, and just for you to know… wind vortex is not my Inquiara Magic. It’s just a basic mid-tier spell.”

The violent wind ruptured Benny’s skin and his clothes, shredding it into smaller pieces. Benny’s scream was completely muted by the vortex. At the end, he was almost naked.

When the vortex calmed down, Mr. Funny Man ceased and set down his foot on the ground. Cuts were deep like from an actual knife. Benny’s flesh wounds are exposed and his blood sprayed everywhere.

Benny’s throat has been cut to talk. He could only groan as his eyes laid slowly to Mr. Funny Man. He mouthed something.

Mr. Funny Man put his glasses back on. “Despite being a lower class, you’re quite a troublesome… just for you to know.”

Benny forcefully muttered words. “All this time… you were hiding… your true… ability.”

“Yeah.”

“Then… why… did you… took… so… long…?”

“It’s a basic tactic. I want to know what you’re capable of and you’re reluctant to show it to me, hence, I began to simulate situations that might caught you off guard. But because of your ability the part to engage you in close combat discloses it. The truth is… I can easily overpower your Inquiara Magic with my wind vortex, but it would use up most of my mana rendering me useless. That’s why I take the path of discretion rather than up front assault… and you already knew how it goes.”

Mr. Funny Man was hoping that Benny would break to repent, but it seemed that he’s not at all rueful. Benny’s grinned spread on his dead expression.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s funny… because we… were… both thinking… the same… thing.” A horrid laughed followed in his words. “I, too, not using the full extent of my Inquiara Magic.”

Mr. Funny Man didn’t take his bluff. “You’re lying.”

“Oh, believe… me.” Benny coughed blood. “Are you… familiar with the… Nion Hunters, Mr. Funny Man?”

It’s a word that he hasn’t heard for a while.

“The Nion Hunters aren’t that significant than the Tribunal Hunters, Mephistic Hunters, Archaegian Hunters and the rest of them, but they’re unique as the Primordial Hunters. Not only the Nion Hunters can manipulate energy at will, but they can also add effects similar of how your Inquiara Magic, Minecraft did to us.”

“The point being?”

“For example, an Inquiara Magic that can replicate into a similar fashion of the original body. Not only the looks but a part of his personality.”

Mr. Funny Man remained clueless.

“What I’m saying that this body is nothing but a replica of the original! Fool… you’ve been played all along.” Mr. Funny Man’s eyes remained composed.

“What’s with your face?”

“You think by keeping me here would do no safe to the princess? If that’s what you’re thinking then I daresay you are wrong. It’s too early to presume what’s the outcome would be, considering that they’re formidable warriors. Do not underestimate them.”

Benny grumbles and laughed with ragged tone. “You’re the one who’s overestimating them… specially that boy. I just noticed earlier, he didn’t use magic throughout the chase, or maybe he couldn’t. Even those two in the front would take the lead, I doubt that they would be able to continue with the number of enemies that’s going after them.”

Beneath the thick tint of his glass, Mr. Funny Man flinched.

Benny continued. “My real body… is coming after… them… now… hurry… or you… won’t make it in time.” He dreadfully laughed.

Benny’s life, or should supposed to say, the clone’s life slipping in his eyes.

“If you’re going to die, then it should be on my terms.”

One last time, Mr. Funny Man get his blade and plunged on Benny’s chest. A last groaned of life left his lungs.

“I can’t believe he tricked me. I shouldn’t have left the majesty’s aid.”

Mr. Funny Man appeared to be worried. He was confident until now, his gravitas is completely unshackled by his thoughts over the matter.

He senses Ken’s presence just ahead of him and decided to come and help him finish the job. His enemy appeared to be stronger than Ken, moreover, the reason why he should intervene.

It should be closer right now. But halted in his tracks when a white wall blocked his way.

Mr. Funny Man used his wind magic, but failed in attempt and in turn the magic turn froze into a chandelier that traced the pattern of his wind vortex.

“Damn it!”

It would take him a few minutes before the white wall decimated into white light and shards before he continued.

He saw Ken bruised and battered. His left arm appeared to be burnt.

“Mr. Ken.”

Mr. Funny Man called out to him and landed on the ground.

“Mr. F? So, you already take care of the other guy, huh?”

Mr. Funny Man sounds to be disappointed.

“Not quite.”

“What?”

“It’s better if I explain as we move on. Come on, let’s go.”

Mr. Funny Man held Ken up and flew in the sky. He explained to Ken what happened and why Caroline is in dire situation.

“The enemy completely got on our flank. I’m pretty sure, Alastor, Cid and Misty can handle them. Believe me or not, they’re formidable as we are.” Ken said.

“That’s precisely what I’m worried about.”

“I’m not sure what are you getting at.”

“Knowing them, they will cover each other until the number is going to be reduced, hence, the security of the princess would be jeopardized. They must remain on the run at any cost or else that guy would get ahead of them. Our detachment from the main carrier proved that it’s going to happen again. We must not let that happen.”

“I understand, but what about Linda? Where is she?”

“Ken,” Mr. Funny Man’s voice stressed. “don’t worry about her. She can manage all by herself.”

Even if Ken is in good condition, he is not in a position to fend off his orders.