Aaron froze. He icily eyed Max, secretly calling his identity into question. Watching Liliana easily accept Max’s gesture, Aaron felt immense displeasure and irritation. He couldn’t stand Max’s familiarity with the girl he was pursuing.

“I haven't seen you before.”

Max indifferently replied, “Yeah, I'm new in town.”

Charlene and Liliana both looked at Max with an expression that screamed: ‘what are you doing?!’

Aaron gracefully smiled while sporting an expression that seemed to say, ‘I see.’ Glancing at Liliana, he gave her a light nod. “If I can’t convince you, then so be it. Another time perhaps.” He said and left without another look.

At a distance, away from Liliana and Max, Aaron’s expression was as dark as it could be. He softly ordered one of his followers, “Find out who he is and where he’s staying. And tell me when he arrived at MY village.”

“Right now?”

“Yes!”

Eager to please the future chief, two of his so called friends immediately left the pack to hunt for answers.

Done with her daily chores, Liliana quickly rushed home to continue her practice of fundamental magic. Max had always been curious about it and quietly found a corner for himself, deciding to stay and watch.

With a perfectly round, but ordinary looking pebble in her arm, Liliana stretched out the other with her eyes closed. Max felt a hint of excitement, waiting with bated breath for some sort of magical change to occur. The only thing close to magic he had seen so far was the exploding talisman that had nearly taken his life. Seconds of waiting produced nothing, and Max clicked  his tongue with disappointment as the anticipated miracle never materialized. Feeling cheated, he snapped, “What’s this? Weren’t you going to practice magic? Nothing happened!” To which Liliana calmly replied, “Magic isn't just about spells and fancy movements. It's also about the control of your mental energy. If I have shabby control, the spell will end up backfiring when cast. I was practicing my control right now.”

“But since you want to see a spell, I'll show you a simple one.” Liliana continued, “Look carefully."

Holding on to the rock with one hand while forming a fist with the other, she took a deep breath. She slowly revealed a small flame burning silently in the centre of her palm. Max looked at the feeble flame in surprise.

“What do you think?” Liliana asked.

“It’s tiny.” It felt like a parlour trick that most street magicians on Earth could pull off.

Liliana's lips twitched in slight irritation. What’s with that dull response? She gently smacked Max on the head and exasperatedly said, “Of course it's tiny. What did you expect?! Do you want me to burn the whole place down?”

Max awkwardly rubbed his head and chuckled. He patiently sat through her explanation.

“Look… Even though it was just an ordinary flame, it was produced by channeling my energy and giving the mana in the air form. It doesn't need wood or fuel to burn. As long as I have mental energy, it will continue to exist without end. Get it now, genius?”

“So what's the point of the rock in your hand?”

“This isn’t an ordinary rock. It's a special type of artifact that helps the user cast spells more easily. It improves the channeling of mental energy.”

Max nodded his head in understanding. “So, I've been meaning to ask for a while now. Why are we still here?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t get me wrong now. There's nothing wrong with the village. It's just that… didn't you want to go to an academy to study magic? You even have me now, a familiar. So what's holding you back?”

Liliana smiled. She had forgotten that the teenager before her knew nothing of the world. “Nothing is holding me back. Like you said, now that I have you I can indeed try my luck at one of the three academies, but the academy tests don't begin until two months from now and it doesn’t take that long to travel from here to the testing grounds. Till then I have to hone my skills to increase my chances of getting in.”

***

Max was smiling. No, he was trying hard not to laugh. He couldn’t help it, not while bearing witness to the cliché development before him. It was past four in the evening and Max had found himself surrounded by a group while on his way back from an errand. The teenagers were trying their best to appear intimidating, but Max only found them cute. Compared to the dangers he had faced when he had first arrived on this planet, Asterisk, they were hardly a threat.

“Lord Aaron wishes to see you, so come with us quietly.”

“Lead the way.”

Aaron sat at the center of a room, behind a table. Expensive clothes, the same sword on his back. It was almost like he was trying to showcase the difference in their stature. “Remember me?” He said as he signaled his lackeys to step away.

“How could I possibly forget?” Max bowed. “Lord Aaron, it's a pleasure to meet you again.”

“Max you seem like a smart man so I'll get straight to the point. Do you know why I have called you here?”

Max innocently shook his head, all the while wondering how long this façade would last.

Aaron smiled and snapped his fingers. At the signal, a maid walked into the room. She neatly kept a small sack full of coins on the table. Her eyes could hide her jealousy and curiosity as she wondered what Max had done to receive such a reward. With a light bow to Aaron, she promptly left.

“What’s this?” Max asked as the pouched was shoved into his hands.

“That’s about two thousand silver coins. It’s enough to last you some time; a generous amount if I say so myself.”

“I am sorry. But I still don't understand.”

“Do I have to spell it out for you?” Aaron groaned and elaborated, “It’s quite simple. I want you to leave this village and never come back. From my understanding, you have no money and no memories. So consider this is as me giving you a head start.”

“Oh? Why would you want me to leave? Have I done something wrong?”

Aaron’s brows twitched at the counter questioning. Can’t he get a hint? How has Liliana come to trust someone so stupid? Why can’t you just gratefully accept this offer and scram?

“You don't belong in this village. You've lost your memory. Don't you want to find your real home? I'm giving you that opportunity now. Take it!”

Max seemed to be in serious thought. Unknowingly, this little performance had already surpassed his point of amusement and had begun to transform into irritation. Sighing, Max asked, “And if I refuse your kind gesture?”

“I wouldn't do that if I were in your shoes.” Aaron icily answered while his lackeys began to show signs of restlessness.

“Thank you…”Max casually dumped the bag of coins on the table and nonchalantly met Aaron’s gaze. “But I think I'll stay. It would be rude to just get up and leave, especially after everything ‘Liliana’ and her mom have done for me.”

“Don’t push your luck!” Aaron growled as he shot to his feet. “Take the coins and scram. It’s in all our best interests.”

Unperturbed, Max coolly replied, “Next time you should come talk to me directly if you have something to say instead of sending your lackeys.”

“Don’t say I didn’t give you a chance.” Going for the sword on his back, Aaron snarled, “You can only blame yourself for what happens next.”

“You're right.”

Without giving Aaron a chance to draw his sword, Max used the small table to catapult himself forward. After kneeing him straight in the face, Max let gravity do the rest. The two figures fell and a painful crunch echoed in the room as his knee successfully smashed Aaron’s head onto the floor, crushing the poor boy’s nose in the process.

The young Argent issued a painful yelp as he tossed and turned, holding on to his profusely bleeding nose and mouth. Max stood up, adjusting his shirt and gloves. He dusted off his pants like nothing happened while looking at Aaron with some surprise. “Still conscious? You’re tougher than you look.”

“What are you idiots waiting for?! Get him!” Aaron ordered before falling into an intense bout of coughing. He looked at the blood and pair of teeth on the ground in horror and his hatred for Max shot through the roof.

Stirring into action, the handful of bootlickers pounced. Max chuckled as he weaved and dodged. Each precise jab left a lackey groaning on the floor. With half their forces immobilized, the remaining two teenagers lost their courage. One panicked and immediately raced out of the room. The other felt his knees go soft and fell flat on the floor.

“Face. Meet. Foot!” Max announced and kicked the lackey square in the face. With the latter unconscious, Max flashed a cold smile at Aaron. “Guess that just leaves you and me, pal.”

“You think you'll get away with this?” Glaring, Aaron steadied his feet and threateningly held his sword. “I am an Esquire and both my father and uncle are Knights. You won't be able to leave this village in one piece!”

Max's face fell. Like Earth, Asterisk also seemed to be a host to a cut-throat environment, although the presence of mana had taken ruthlessness in another direction. Max murmured, “Survival of the fittest, huh? Alright! Bring it!”

The commotion had been enough to alert almost everyone in the mansion. John Argent entered the room and was shocked by the scene. His heart burned with fury at the sight of his son’s miserable state. He glared at Max and asked, “What’s the meaning of this?”

“Your son tried to abuse his little power and this is the result.”

Aaron's expression instantly turned ugly. The insult was directed at all of his sore spots. Furious, he rushed to his father’s side and immediately began to babble, hoping to concoct a story that would incite his father against Max.

“Father! All I did was ask him to stay away from Liliana, but he wouldn’t listen and threatened to kill when I asked him to back off. He is a menace that needs to be dealt with!”

John frowned. He was aware of his son’s unruly nature and could already surmise that that was not what had truly occurred. However, with Aaron’s talent in magic, he would soon surpass John and become the greatest knight the village had ever seen. He could never let any harm befall him. On the other hand, Max was a complete stranger with a sketchy background.

His moral compass didn’t so much as flicker when he made a decision. Aaron’s statement was enough of an excuse to crush an ant. He had heard that Max had been staying with Liliana. Combining this fact with his son’s statement, the story didn’t seem too farfetched.

“You sure have some nerve boy! My people gave you a place to stay and food to eat and you return the favor by trying to kill my son?”

“Of course you’re siding with him.” Max scoffed at the expected outcome. Their attitude chafed his nerves as he lost the last of his civility and began to mock the man with unbridled disdain. “I’m surprised you’re chief of the village with your foresight.  It's far too lacking. Perhaps you should consider retirement.”

“Watch your tongue!”

“Why? I think it’s working just fine though – saying exactly what it’s supposed to say.”

There was no point to any more words. John silently drew his sword and charged.

The insignificant confrontation with Aaron’s gang had served to confirm a budding hypothesis. Max was certain that he was growing stronger and faster since his arrival to Asterisk. The once waning power, doomed to disappear, was also gradually starting to recover. Max couldn’t be more ecstatic, especially with the disappearing side effects as a bonus.

As the chief rushed towards him, the fighter within Max desired to test his increasing limits. His new opponent was fast, but not as fast as the ones who had attacked him in the forest.

Max retreated, controlling his speed to match that of John’s. Pretty soon, he was backed against the wall. As the sword ruthlessly swung down, Max propelled himself forward, using the wall as a spring board. He barely managed to slip past as the sword tip came slashing down.

A cloud of dust disseminated throughout the room. The floor was littered with gravel while a man sized hole found a place in the wall.

Staring at the new formed cavity, a genuine tinge of shock flashed past Max's face. The power of that strike had exceeded his expectations. As the dust cleared, John frowned as he eyed Max. He felt troubled and hadn’t anticipated failure as an outcome.

“Dad… That strike just now… You’ve become a Premier Knight?” Aaron asked with joy.

With the village’s limited resources, a knight’s progress was doomed to stagnate. Only with an academy’s help could one hope to move forward. John had become the first to reach the stage of Premier Knight since the founding of the village.

John had no time to respond to his son. All of his attention was on Max. There seemed to be no pride on his face for having done the unprecedented. Instead, he felt apprehension. This boy dodged that?

Max noticed the hint of unease and responded with a provocative gesture. With a mocking smile, he beckoned for another attack. Shaking off the piling suspicions, John raised his sword as he charged once more while Max also ran forward to meet chief head on.

As he saw the scene unfold, Aaron's lips curled upwards with contempt as he pictured what seemed like an obvious outcome. With you out of the way, Liliana will eventually be mine!

However, the result of the clash speedily went beyond the scope of his comprehension. Aaron's face froze as he watched the ensuing battle.

John unleashed a series of frenzied attacks. Swinging, slashing and thrusting, he left Max with little room to maneuver, yet he couldn’t land a single good hit.

Max was adorned with several light cuts while his clothes were in shambles. As the fight progressed, John suddenly felt a powerful sense of nervousness grip his heart. Despite having revealed the full extent of his abilities, Max seemed to have had no trouble keeping up. The latter continued to nimbly dodge as the tussle between two people from different worlds extended to the mansion’s backyard. He was currently in the process of testing himself, relying solely on his physical prowess to go toe to toe with the chief. Manipulating the wind was a trump card he wanted to leave for the end.

Amidst the bombardment of sword strikes, Max managed to exploit a flaw. Seeing him closing in, John immediately cursed. How could I let such a rookie find an opening? This is disgraceful!

John instantly adjusted his swing, making it more compact. He slashed from the side as Max welcomed the incoming blade with a smile. Having anticipated the attack, Max was already in the air. He clumsily kicked the sword and managed to push the chief off balance before releasing a punch with all of his might.

The fist landed, but Max winced. John had blocked with his forehead before hastily stabilizing himself and swinging his sword.

Knowing that it was impossible to dodge, Max cursed as he was forced to lift the personal ban on his ability to twist his body and neck barely out of the way. Blood splashed as the sword cut into his upper torso, leaving him with a ghastly scar on his chest.

Max ignored the pain and grabbed hold of the chief’s hand with every intention of shattering it.

While scoffing at Max’s simplistic plan, John dropped the sword – a sudden action that nearly distracted Max from the dagger aimed at his neck.

Horrified and enraged, Max’s instincts kicked in as he immediately raised his shoulder to block the incoming stab. Now that his life was truly on the line, Max’s emotional state reached a tipping point. Fury prevailed over reason as he decided to go all out. You’re dead! Screw holding back! You and your son… I’ll show you both a hell worse than death!

Max’s eyes flashed with a crimson light as the winds momentarily became restless. In his rage, he failed to notice a fairly muscular figure appear next to them. Using one hand, the man stopped Max from ruining John’s arm and raised a sheathed sword with the other to stab forward. Brushing past Max’s face, the scabbard clashed with the dagger to produce a loud clang and save his shoulder.

The figure sighed in relief and let out a loud roar. “That’s enough!”