I wiped dirt and sweat off of my forehead and smiled as I looked down at our day's work. The field was evenly tilled, no large clumps here nor there. Serra had me avoid using my full strength or else I might either break the pickaxe or create large craters.

"You did better than I expected," Serrano said as he leaned against the lone oak tree. His chest went up and down as his breathing slowly returned to normal.

I scoffed. "I've been doing this all my life."

"Yeah, but I would've expected you to have gotten rusty," he said, snickering.

"Like I would. Like I said, I've been doing it all my life. It's practically embedded into my DNA at this point."

He lowered his head and chuckled. "Ahh, so your and Rosa's kids should be expert tillers then."

Suddenly, I felt warmer than when I was actually tilling the soil. "I guess so," I mumbled as I scratched the right side of my face. "Though, I could always end up with Yuko or someone else."

Serra snorted. "Well, perhaps Yuko. But I can't see you with anyone else who isn't Rosa." He turned away. "Except for maybe her sister."

"Setsuko? She's engaged with you," I said as I picked up a juice box lying next to the roots of the tree and sipped it. "Like I would date her."

"Really? What if she wasn't my fiancée?"

I tilted my head. "Hmm, well then maybe. Though I like Rosa better..." My face warmed up once again. "I mean... uh..."

Serrano rose his head and grinned. "No need to deny your feelings for her."

I scratched my head. "I guess I shouldn't. I did confess to her after all."

"You did?" he asked, eyes widening.

"Yeah. S-she kissed me as her response."

He chuckled. "Wow, bet that was one memorable response."

I smiled and nodded. "Yeah..."

"Hey, Tetsu? Why are you speaking normally to me again? Weren't you mad at me a few days ago?" Serrano asked as he stood up.

I pressed the back of my head against the trunk of the oak tree and looked up at the blue sky. "Hmm? I'm... not sure. I guess it's just that the anger I felt toward you just dissipated." I grumbled. "I guess that I still can't stay mad at you for too long."

Serra stepped back and leaned his back against the trunk of the tree. He let out a clamorous chuckle. "I see. Though I probably should be careful."

I chuckled as well. "Yeah, you should."

Serra glanced back at the tilled field and then at the vast expanse of land surrounded by wooden fencing. "Say, if all of this land is yours why haven't you cultivated it?"

I ruffled my wavy white hair. "Most of it isn't good for farming. The soil here tends to be very rocky. The grass here usually takes a very long time to grow big enough to feed cattle. You also saw the quantity of rocks you had to pull out," I said, signaling to the seven-foot tall mound of rocks Serra had formed.

He grimaced as he stared at his dirt covered black gloves. Even with them on, he likely got blisters on his palms. "Yeah..."

"Plus, the soil itself tends to lack nutrients. The clover here was actually planted by Ma and P... Takeshi."

"Since when was my name P-Takeshi?" Takeshi himself called out. I turned around and saw him walking uphill alongside Ma.

"Hey, kiddos! I see that you got the work done!" he said, grinning like an idiot as he waved at us.

"Which you should've done," Ma said, leering at him as they came to a stop.

Takeshi snickered and scratched his head. "Ahh, sorry about that but lately I haven't been feeling well."

"So, this was all a trick after all," I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

Serrano sighed and shrugged. "Well, he had been working on the GEARs, so I didn't really question it."

The old owner of Aventine chuckled. "And that's why ya're my favorite nephew!"

My cousin scoffed. "Well, I am the only one you know well."

"True," he said as he walked over to the tilled field. He knelt down and ran his hand through it, grabbing a wad of soft, loose soil covered in clover leaves. "It's improved a lot over these past twenty years. Though perhaps, we should grow beans just to keep the nitrogen fixation process going. We could also start growing oats alongside clover."

"An oat-clover mix, huh?" Ma asked as she squatted next to him.

"Think that'll work?"

She smiled and nodded. "I think so."

I chuckled slightly. I turned around and walked away. This was how it should've been all along.

"Hold up, Tetsuya. Before you leave, I'll like to show you something. I'm certain it'll be a major help in the battles to come."

I halted and spun on my heels. "What is it?"

He turned to look at Serrano. "Could you go on without us?"

Serrano nodded. "Alright, I get it. Though, I won't go too far."

"No need to worry, I'm here," Ma said as she stood up to her full height. "If he tries to hurt Tetsu then he'll have to deal with me."

"Why would I hurt him?" Tekeshi asked, trying not to laugh.

"As part of your training regimen. I know that your father trained you that way, but there's no reason to treat Tetsu and the others like that."

"We are going to be facing his old coach," Serrano said as he started to walk away. "I don't necessarily agree with uncle's methods, but it might be what we need right now. If we hope to defeat our grandfather."

"True," I said, sighing as I stepped forward. I looked down at the box of juice in my hands. I turned around. "Hey, isn't this yours, Serra?"

"Took you awhile to notice. Then again you have always had that habit," he said, waving an unopened juice box. "But I'll just keep this one!"

"You two and your indirect kisses," Ma said, blushing.

"Hey, we aren't like that!" Serra yelled as his face reddened. "We're not Etsuo and Roa!"

"Ehh? Now I want to meet those two!" Ma said, grinning.

Takeshi snickered. "Anis, your 'dirty girl' self is showing."

"Ahh, s-sorry," she said, looking down. "Uh, I think that I'll go accompany Serra." She kept her head down and ran off.

Takeshi sighed. "That mother of yours is really something isn't she?"

"I've rarely seen this side of her. Apart from when she's reading romance novels," I muttered.

"Hahaha. Well, I got to see it several times. She used to pair me up with Sofia and thought that there was something between Osamu and me."

I raised an eyebrow. "Osamu and you?"

"Well, part of it was misunderstood situations. The first of them was when I tackled Osamu into bed."

"Ehhh?"

Pa snickered "Don't start thinking weirdly too. Our friendship wasn't much different from Serra and yours."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Really now? He didn't seem very fond of you any of the times I've seen you together."

"Sadly, Osamu had changed when I saw him again, and just when I thought that he was becoming livelier... Perhaps, I shouldn't have distanced myself too much from him."

I began to shift uncomfortably. He started to remind me of... myself. Serra, when I saw him again in college, something in him had changed. Though in that case, it was he who had distanced himself from me.

"Though your mother never liked him, despite being first cousins. She thought he was pervert."

A pervert? Alright, what's their story?

Pa snickered. "Anyway, lunch is almost ready, so let me show you something. Transform Agnes into its shield form and touch the crystal and tell it to show you its abilities."

I did as he said. A red screen suddenly popped up in front of me. Listed on it were three skills. The first was 'Healing Shield' which is what allowed Agnes to create potions by absorbing herbs into the dragon orb at its center.

Second was 'Twin Boost' which gave the boosts to Agnes to me. Though, its text seemed to have been upgraded as my own growth now impacted Agnes as well.

The third I didn't recognize. It was called 'Strengthening Shield'. With it all damage Agnes or its owner takes, the stronger it'll become. The boosts in turn were permanent.

I smiled as I raised the heavy shield in front of me. "How about we test it out?"

Tekeshi smiled. "I would accept, but I think that you should instead give Eiichi that match you've been promising him."

"Eiichi?" I smiled. "Great idea, P... Tekeshi."

He snickered. "There you go again with P-Tekeshi! I would understand if you called me Tekeshi, Kuroshi, or even better, Pa."

I spread my wings and took to the skies.

"Hey!" he yelled as I left him talking to himself.

Pa... Ha. For a moment there I was actually starting to think of him as my old man...

"You should forgive him, Tetsu," Hanketsu's voice called out from within my rosary.

"Be quiet, no one asked you. But now that you're talking once again, I'll like to ask you something. When I 'died' you mentioned that my revival would hurt someone, who was I hurting?"

There was no response.

I sighed. "Alright, I get it. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. It's not your fault that I have a crummy dad."

There was still no answer.

"Hanketsu?" I called out, pulling out the rosary from underneath my shirt. "Hanketsu!" Why wasn't he answering?

I took a deep breath and turned left for home. I gasped as soon as I saw what looked like an arena near Principe's stable.

Walking up to into the ring were Prince Maki and Rosa.

"That sure was quick!" Serrano said, waving. "Prince Maki and Rosa's battle is about to start."

I smiled as I slowly descended. "So, they really are going to go through with it after all. Go Rosa! You can do it!"

Rosa glanced up at me and smiled. "I'll try my best!" she yelled back.

"A match between a Seven-Hill and one of the Seven Flames. It's been awhile since such a match has happened," Tekeshi said as he flew toward us. He had caught up quicker than I thought he would.

"Yes, not since the war," Osamu said as he sat on top of a tall stone chair overlooking the battlefield. He snickered and whispered something which I couldn't quiet catch.

"Your father said that you can do it!" Ma yelled.

"He did?" Rosa said as her eyes were drawn up toward her father.

The king sighed. "Thanks, Anis."

"You're welcome!" she yelled, grinning.

He sighed. "That was sarcasm!"

"I know!"

"Reminds me of Setty and Eiichi, those two," Serra said, snickering.

"Yeah, but Anis and Osamu are friendlier," Tekeshi said.

"I am not his friend!" Ma snapped at him.

"Nor would I want to be," Osamu said, sighing. "Anyway, prepare the barrier you lot."

Ma grumbled. "As bossy as always."

"Just do it," Tekeshi said, chuckling. My parents raised their hands and formed a half of the barrier while Eiichi's parents formed the other half.

"Is it necessary for all four of you to make it?" I asked.

"Well, considering what happened in the palace when Hyosetsu and Eiichi battled... it's best to be prepared. This is a battle between two members of an Order of Seven."

"Speaking of an Order of Seven, where is Teresa?" I asked, looking around at the crowd.

"She's probably still sparing with Nico," Takuya said. "She wants to get stronger so that she can help you better."

I smiled. "I see."

"Ahh, that Nico. He seems like such a good boy," Ma said, grinning. "I mean, Zafir is a good catch too. But I think that Nico would be better for her."

"And there she goes again," Tekeshi said, sighing.

"She's so much like my daughters," Osamu grumbled.

"Well your daughters are awesome," Ma said, nodding her head.

"And like her youngest son and nephew apparently," Tekeshi added.

"I guess that she is like me," Hideo mumbled as he stood behind us. "Hey, are you saying I'm like the peasant!"

"I agree. I'm not like this snob," I said, pointing at the gun knight.

Hideo narrowed his eyes at me. "Want to battle after Maki and Rosa are done, peasant?"

"Sure!" I said, grinning.

Osamu scoffed. "Perhaps, it would be best to have you five face off once more, to see your development."

"Not a bad idea!" Tekeshi said. "Tetsu will be facing off against Eiichi anyway."

"He is?" Hideo asked.

"Yeah, but I'll let you take Tetsu on first. Whichever one of you two wins can face Eiichi. Then the winner of that one can face off against the winner of Setsuko versus Hyosetsu! Sounds good?"

Hideo grinned. "Yeah! I'll show up your peasant son and then that pervert. And Hyosetsu and Setsuko too!"

"Good luck getting past me," I said with a smug grin of my own.

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter:3. 72 chapters already, wow! Only twelves more chapters to go. Hope thatyou'll stick by for the finale. I'm not even certain where it'll end (and I'mthe one writing it!) but that's only part of the fun xD**