(The Battle Begins)

*October 23rd, 1920*

*9:30am*

*Eiffel Tower*

Kaede, Kazumi, and Bartok were waiting for John, Peter, and Natasha to pick them up so that they could bring them into a safer battle palace.

"At least John has some sense in him to not fight in Paris but they should have been here already. Did they give up?" Kazumi asked Kaede and Bartok as he looked around the area in hopes of finding them.

"They should be here any minute. We must also be on our guards as well. Who knows what type of trick that they may have on their sleeves" Kaede answered back as she was met with a nod from Kazumi.

"She's right. We made a promise to everyone that we'll make it back in one piece. We should keep that promise as well" Bartok added on to the conversation as he looked over to his right to see a huge blimp coming towards the Eiffel Tower as he pointed at it.

"I guess that's our ride eh? I'm surprised he chose a blimp out of all things but I guess that it will do" Bartok said once more as he saw Kaede and Kazumi turn around as well.

"Correct! Natasha has told me everything the night before so we should be good." Kaede answered back as she saw the blimp coming closer towards them.

*John Claude's Blimp*

Natasha saw the trio from above as she turned her direction to the Cloaked Figure to alert him.

"They're here! Should we let Mr Ermakov put down a ladder so they could enter?" Natasha advised the Cloaked Figure as she awaited her answer.

"Oh? Very well! Let the team enter the blimp. I and Master Claude have been expecting them. I can't wait to fight them all" the Cloaked Figure had spoken back in a very gleeful tone of voice as this caught Peter's attention.

"No! I will fight Bartok, you will fight Kazumi, and Mr Claude will fight Kaede. That was the plan that we all agreed on!" Peter Ermakov spat out towards the Cloaked Figure as he got up from his post to retrieve a ladder so he could let Kaede, Kazumi, and Bartok enter the blimp.

"You ready?" Peter Ermakov said to Natasha as he was ready to open the door for the trio as he was met with a nod of agreement from Natasha.

"You can open the door so they could enter and we should be good from there" Natasha answered back with a smile on her face as she saw Peter opening the hatch door for the trio.

"Come in! Don't waste any time, okay? Climb as fast as you can!" Peter Ermakov cried out to the trio as he saw their serious expressions on their faces.

"It feels odd seeing the face of the man who tried to kill you but we must be ready for anything!" Bartok thought to himself as he nodded his head in response to Peter's commands.

"I'll go first okay?" Kaede spoke to Kazumi and Bartok as she walked towards the ladder and proceeded to climb it as quickly as she could.

"Can't believe I'm gonna be spending one hour of my life with this bitch…" Peter Ermakov thought to himself as he saw Kaede getting closer to him as he also saw Kaede reaching out for his hand.

"I must congratulate you on making it this far. I hope you enjoy the last few moments of your life. You'll need it" Peter Ermakov had spoken to Kaede in a calm tone of voice as he grabbed Kaede's hand and pulled her on the blimp.

"Can I ask you a question, Peter? I want you to be honest with me as well" Kaede asked Peter Ermakov as he turned his direction towards her.

"What is it? It better not be some preachy nonsense" Peter Ermakov answered back as he motioned his hand for Kazumi to come up towards the blimp before looking back at Kaede.

"Well? What is it that you want to ask me?" Peter Ermakov asked Kaede in an impatient tone of voice.

"Why do you allow revenge and hatred to fully consume you? What made you become this way?" Kaede finally asked him.

"When you have to always make ends meet when you are a kid. When you realize that people who are in power don't care for the people but rather themselves. When you REALIZE that hatred and revenge are the only way to tear down those things!" Peter Ermakov answered back as he remained firm on his answer as he reached out for Kazumi's hand.

"Things are already getting heated. Kaede? Are you trying to reach out to Peter!? He can't change! People like him are hopeless!" Kazumi thought to himself as he entered the bimp and sat down and noticed the Cloaked Figure.

"Who is this guy? I've never seen or heard about him? Is he John Claude?" Kazumi thought to himself once more as he turned his direction back at Kaede and Peter.

"Revenge and Hatred will only lead you into death. You and everyone else is becoming the very thing that you want to destroy. When all of this is set and done I want you to think hard about this…" Kaede had spoken to Peter Ermakov as he remained quiet for a few seconds before opening his mouth.

"You're hopeless. That's why I truly hate you and everything that you believe in. I wish I could kill you right here and now" Peter Ermakov had spoken back to Kaede in a threatening tone of voice as he helped Bartok get on the blimp as well as he pulled the ladder closer to him as he closed the hatch in the process.

"Do you remember what Anastasia said to John? About how we have something that can overcome anything?" Kaede asked Peter Ermakov once more as she turned her direction to face him.

"Be quiet, I'm done talking to you. You're annoying as hell" Peter Ermakov spat out to Kaede as he gave her the finger before getting up to go to the next room as he slammed the door loudly.

"There's no point in changing him, Kaede. He's a lost cause who is fully consumed by revenge and hatred and Look! I want change for the world as well but if it means murdering innocent blood then I'd rather die!" Kazumi had spoken to Kaede as he was met with a nod of understandment from her and Bartok.

"Revolutions can really change someone as well. Some of these people are consumed by revenge and hate to the point that they'll kill just to reach that point." Bartok added on as well as he thought about the last two years as he saw Kaede about to speak.

"Yeah, I know that Peter can't change at all but I just wanted to know why he did the things that he did as well" Kaede had spoken back to the duo as the room remained quiet for a few minutes before it was interrupted by the Cloaked Figure.

"We should be arriving at our destination in roughly one hour so It's best to get some rest beforehand" the Cloaked Figure advised towards the trio as he chuckled at the last part of his sentence while Kaede, Kazumi, and Bartok stared back at him.

"It seems you're my opponent right? Peter is gonna fight Bartok while Kaede is gonna fight John so that leaves me to take you down right?" Kazumi asked the Cloaked Figure as he awaited his answer.

"Correct. My battle with you will be quite eventful indeed. I can't wait to snuff the life out of you" the Cloaked Figure had spoken back to Kazumi as he let out a small chuckle at his last sentence.

"You're wrong, I will defeat you once we start fighting so don't forget that!" Kazumi had spoken back to the man as he saw him chuckling once again.

"We'll see, my good friend" the Cloaked Figure spoke back in a gleeful tone of voice as he was awaiting for his future battle.

"Where's John? I haven't seen him anywhere in this place? Did he not show up?" Kaede asked Natasha as she turned her direction to face her.

"He's preparing for the fight so he won't be showing up until he fights you so it's only me, Peter, and Cloaked Figure that's guiding everyone for the meantime" Natasha answered back as she was met with Kaede nodding her head in understandment.

"Mr Claude is preparing for this event. I must make sure that Peter and Cloaked Figure succeed in their battles" Natasha thought to herself as the blimp continued to fly towards their destination as one hour had quickly passed.

*10:30am*

*Saint Forget*

The Blimp had arrived at its destination in a lush green area with entirely nothing but green grass spread across the land while everyone had left the blimp and was ready for the final battle.

"Our first match will be Peter Ermakov vs Bartok. You better kill him quickly Peter!" Natasha advised Peter Ermakov as she saw him nodding his head as he walked towards Bartok.

"So, I've finally gonna get my revenge for that stunt you pulled off! I've learned plenty of tricks so get ready to DIE!" Peter Ermakov cried out to Bartok as he prepared for battle by cracking his knuckles as he saw him talking to Kaede and Kazumi.

"Good luck, Bartok! Kick his ass for us! Maria! and everyone else, okay?" "Kaede advised Bartok with a smile as she gave him a fist bump as Bartok turned over to finally face Peter Ermakov.

"I learned new tricks as well. I'm not the same person from two years ago! I will defeat you here and now! Not just for my future! But for Maria's future! Everyone's future! Peter Ermakov! You are going down TODAY!" Bartok cried out as he formed stanced and was ready for whatever may come his way.

"You're wasting your time and words, foolish boy! Today marks the day when I will finally kill the Romanovs. Now, Let's begin the show shall we?" Peter Ermakov spoke to Bartok as he let out a battle cry as he charged towards Bartok indicating that Part one of the final battle was set to begin.