When Veda checked the CCTV surveillance system, he saw that Fortis had knocked out ten members of the Echowood Retreat Faction and was heading towards Klause's location. Using the radio comms, he secretly ordered the hidden members of his faction to guard the entrance to their building, concealed behind the glassy ground.
The hidden members ran out to the entrance, armed with metal pipes and knuckles. As Fortis approached Klause, he witnessed Rattle and Klause in the climax of their epic battle. Fortis paused, captivated by their intense duel, when he noticed something approaching Klause's left side from the sky.
"Ah... Klause, watch out!" Fortis shouted as he ran forward, trying to help. His face was filled with despair as he saw Klause being taken away.
"Wait, He's mine!" Rattle yelled, rotating his chain knife and flinging it towards the dark figure.
Seeing this, Fortis dashed towards Rattle, stopping the chain knife and punched him in the face with such force that Rattle was knocked back ten feet. Rattle, shocked, wiped the blood from his nose and snarled, "Tch... you and that person in that thing will pay for interrupting my duel."
Hakera, who had been watching the battle from a safe distance, was stunned by the turn of events. He contacted Veda through the tactical radio, informing him of what had happened. Though surprised, Veda remained calm and ordered the archers to descend from the second fence to support their comrades against the Echowood Retreat.
"Ah, this is better. We can see and aim at them easily," one archer remarked as he shot an Echowood Retreat member with his metallic bow and arrow.
The Starfall Reach members numbered 200, including 20 archers, while the Echowood Retreat members amounted to 165. It was 7:45 PM, and the battle raged on, with cries echoing throughout the boarding school. Some slept soundly, while others hid in the shadows, waiting for updates on the conflict that would change the boarding world for better or worse.
Meanwhile, the battle between Rattle and Fortis began. Rattle's movements, which Fortis found childish and unserious, led him to underestimate his opponent. Confident in his strength and regenerative-healing factor, Fortis charged at Rattle without hesitation. However, his arrogance cost him dearly as Rattle swiftly cut off his arm.
Fortis, never having lost a limb before, was shocked. Rattle wrapped his chain knife around Fortis, the blade piercing deep into his left chest. Still reeling from the loss of his arm, Fortis watched in horror as Rattle pulled the chain knife, slicing across his chest. Blood splattered from the wound.
Gritting his teeth in pain, Fortis realized for the first time that he had underestimated an opponent. His mentality wounded, his regenerative abilities were compromised. Doubt crept into his mind.
"He's... strong. I can't believe I underestimated him. The wounds are too much. If I were to heal fast, I wouldn't be able to fight and even after healing, I'd be drained completely, leaving me vulnerable. I only have one option: to fight in this state," Fortis thought.
"Hope you still have some fight left in you! It would be disappointing if you went down now. Come on, I'm not done yet!" Rattle taunted, increasing the speed and intensity of his attacks.
The chain knife cut Fortis' lips, knee, shoulder, and abdomen. His clothes were torn and bloody. His concentration sharpened as he tracked the knife's movements. Standing still, he analyzed its trajectory as Rattle continued to attack.
With a diagonal strike across his torso, Fortis seized the knife. Grinning, he yanked Rattle towards him, easily pulling the lightweight opponent. Fortis grabbed Rattle with his left arm, squeezing tightly, and began breaking his ribs. Rattle groaned in pain. As Fortis broke Rattle's ribs, his right arm began to regenerate.
Once his right arm was fully restored, Fortis turned Rattle around and pinned him to the ground, holding his neck with one arm and his head with the other. With a final, decisive move, he snapped Rattle's neck, incapacitating him for the next 24 hours.
Exhausted and bloody, unable to regenerate until he had rested, Fortis pushed Rattle aside and lay on the ground. "Klause... I'm... coming... Let... me... just..." he murmured as he slowly fell asleep.