The Dawn of the New World

[Is that why you think it is me? Because you can't "figure me out?"]

"No, it's because we are so alike, I told you. Only someone who understands me will be capable of granting me the death I need."

Max inched even closer. His face was just a couple of inches away from Hao Xuan's as they stared into each other's eyes, both refusing to look away.

"Right there!" he exclaimed in a whisper, "I can see the madness in your eyes...the same kind as mine. Buried so very deep but it is there. That apathetic lunacy that will destroy everything it touches one day, I know you hide it. Why are you afraid?"

His hands rose into the air, the thumbs and forefingers resting above Hao Xuan's eyes as if he were about to fish something out of the depths of his soul.

"I want to see it again, that madness!" his own eyes widened to the point that all Hao Xuan could see was his own shocked image being reflected in their depths.

It was hypnotic, every single move he had made so far. And if his soul wasn't at the stage that it was, he would have also fallen for it without a doubt.

Max only stopped when he felt Hao Xuan's hand around his throat, [Should I grant you your wish then?]

He nodded while cracking a smile, "Nothing would make me happier but...there is something you should know first. Any violence in this chamber will result in your immediate exclusion. You will never be allowed to set foot in the Sanctum again."

Hao Xuan looked towards the others with a raised eyebrow and their actions made sense all of a sudden. Even he could tell that the merman was an extremely impatient and emotional being so he would have never tolerated Max's insults if he didn't have any other option.

His ego would not allow it.

But he chose to stay his hand, most probably because he already knew about this 'rule'.

"Do you believe me?" Max asked upon seeing him connect the dots.

"You have two options right now, my friend. You can kill me before the ritual starts and preemptively remove a threat that will one day bring you great pain and sorrow. I will not even fight back," he said while pulling Hao Xuan's other hand over to his throat.

"It will be...so easy," he tightened the grip even more, "But if you don't kill me right now...and allow me to go through the ritual then make no mistake...you will regret it deeply."

"Fret not, it will be quite some time since we meet again...I will have to run some errands for the 'old fool' for the next few years but one day, one random day you will enter your house and see me standing there. And in that moment you will know that I have taken something from you, something you cherish so deeply that you will never be the same again."

"You will cry and wail, curse me and beat me until there is nothing left of me...but you will have lost that what mattered to you the most. And then you will think back to this moment and wish you had chosen differently."

He was trying to suppress a smile, trying his damndest to hold back a laugh as he showed Hao Xuan a glimpse of the future.

And he would be lying if he said Max's words didn't bother him but one thing became pretty clear.

Max was willing to die if it meant that Hao Xuan couldn't go any further than this.

[Seems the Mad King has found a worthy servant] Hao Xuan tightened his grip around Max's throat until he couldn't even talk anymore, [I would like nothing more than to rid of a thing like you right here and now but...for the moment, I cannot forgo this opportunity even if it means I will be risking my future for it]

He loosened his grip and kicked Max's barely conscious body to the other side of the room.

*GAAASP*

Max's chest heaved up and down as he regained consciousness.

"Hahaha...good choice....it's more...fun this way. I look forward...to the future now...thanks to...you..." he muttered with some effort while rolling on the ground trying to catch his breath.

He couldn't even sit up anymore let alone speak so the next few minutes went by in silence until the chamber started to shake.

The walls and the doors trembled before being pulled into the ground while the ceiling simply vanished without a trace. They were left standing on a small piece of rock surrounded by an ocean of murky black water on all sides.

The water violently thrashed as an army of amphibious creatures suddenly made these nine candidates the center of their attention.

"Hmph, you dare turn your gaze towards me?!"