The chapter opens with a description of the fight between the two men. It is the 71st time that the two have fought, and it is the first time that they have fought in such close combat. The fight was the worst fight that the protagonist has ever seen, and he feels that he has a good friend in the old man, but he does not know how to react to the situation. The protagonist says that if he could make even a small spark of magic, he would be able to use his power to amp up the power of the other man. The old man says that he is not sure how he did it, and the protagonist replies that he did not know who it was, but that one of them got it to work. He asks the protagonist if he can cover him, but the protagonist responds that he can't, and that he just hopes he will be okay