A purple glow coiled around Lord Phantom's fist. Leon's throat dried with trepidation. Bracing himself, he clutched the man's ankle to pry it off -
"Ngh!" he grunted as the shoe crushed harder against his chest.
The screen flared above him.
[A high-grade Ghost Breath Potion has been detected. Avoid it as it takes a longer neutralization period. But getting off unscathed isn't guaranteed.]
Leon struggled over and over. But could he really break free against someone as powerful as the Requiem?
Lord Phantom's face lit up with a sudden emotion. Determination. His fist lunged downwards—
Leon cried, "Shit!"
The blinding light burned into his vision.
'Damn it!' he cried harder, so caught up that he couldn't even shut his eyes.
Then the fist halted. It hovered inches from his face. Relief? Curiosity? Leon didn't know what to feel right now.
Lord Phantom recoiled from him. Staring at him with furrowed brows, he pondered, "It can't be..."
Immediately, Leon pushed himself up. He gasped, catching his breath.
'This boy...? No, I must be wrong,' the specter mused. In the next second, he moved down the stairway behind Leon.
"Uh...?" Leon mumbled. His lips parted more as he glanced backward. He whispered, "He's really leaving. Why, all of a sudden?"
"M-my lord..." a husky voice called, tempting Leon to look before him. He saw the two recent guys in tunics, and each showed clear signs of surprise.
The taller one asked, "W-what should we do... about him? Let him... be...?"
Leon swallowed.
The cloak billowed as he moved; Lord Phantom responded, "Do whatever you want. Just don't kill him."
The guys gaped. Was that the plan all along? Anyway, they bowed.
Leon looked at the cloaked specter. 'He really plans to abduct me. I wonder what use I could be to someone whose power dwarfs the mountains themselves.'
He panted. He looked at the two guys.
'Most importantly, I smell an attempt here-'
Whoosh-Smack! The taller guy kicked him in the face.
Leon's body rolled down the stairway. The jagged edges nudged his ribs, spreading a biting sensation across him as his body halted. Leon gasped with a sudden intake of breath.
The wind howled as he struggled to his feet.
"Get serious," the husk-voiced one groaned. They approached him. "Will you give up already? We aren't your mother to waste time disciplining you. So, let's wrap things up quick... okay?"
Leon stole a glance at the fading cloak behind him. "Not yet."
The taller one loomed like a wall before him; the other paced around him.
At that moment, he held Leon's shoulder tightly. Then, he asked, "Tell me... is it true you killed Jax? Are there any hidden muscles, or are my eyes playing tricks again?" His fingers brushed over Leon's arm, feeling more bone than brawn.
While sneaking a look backward, Leon pondered, 'So, the escapee told them everything. Even about Jax. But... something feels off. Use Instinctive Read...'
An azure screen appeared before the taller guy.
[Name: Elias Reyne
Rank: Trainee
Strength: 70
Agility: 76
Intelligence: 72
Stamina: 84
Constellation: Ursa.]
Husk-voice signaled at the other—Elias. Then, the guy sprang forward and delivered a front kick to Leon's chest. Leon jarred to the ground, but he got to his feet in a swift motion.
He immediately glanced backward. A faint smile curled on his face. 'Now, he's gone.'
SCHING!
The sound echoed. Leon glanced up to see those guys pulling out their knives.
Elias said, "Peeling some layers of skin won't kill anyone. Let's have some fun before returning to the main house."
Leon straightened his back. Two of the green liquid jars appeared in his hand; he gulped down the contents straight away. The screen flashed before him,
[Energy: 100.]
"Have fun?" Leon questioned. "Ah... you make me seem like a plaything."
"Well, let's find out if you are," the husk-voiced groaned, closing in. He chuckled.
Leon pondered, 'Jax was superior to a Trainee, being an Operative. If they think I killed him, then why would White Cloak task Trainees with my capture? Right. Now I get it. He's setting a game around me.'
A test. Set-up.
'Then I will play it,' Leon declared. He immediately ordered, "Paradox!"
Lightning danced between his fingers, like a musician playing a heavenly chord. The guy drew much closer, a wide grin framing his face. The dagger, a living judge of life and death, materialized in Leon's grip.
Husk-voice screamed in excitement, "Wow, you make me nervous! That stick you call a dagger must be deadly!"
Leon breathed out, "Activate Shadow Flicker!"
Azure light danced all over him. The cocky guy's excited remark, and the clap of Leon's sudden awakening... even the neon air smiled with anticipation. Would sheer numbers overwhelm a side or -
SWOOSH!
[Striker class automatically activated.]
SLASH!
...
The white dog's cold body lay in the temple. In the shadows of Odin's Hall, Scarlet knelt before a dusty skeleton. It sat on its throne, covered in cobwebs. It held a giant drinking horn thick with a metallic scent. Scarlet pinned her blood-soaked palm to her eye.
Through the eternal skeleton of stone, the molten heart that beats with fire... and even the veil of breath and storm, one thing was prevalent. Power struggle. One that demands the weak to submit to the stronger ones.
If they are strong, they become cocky. But when they can't beat you, they call you a...
"Monster!"
Elias's heavy cry echoed in the lone space.
Leon stood between the two guys, clutching his bloodied dagger. The cocky guy froze like a statue behind him. His body crashed to the ground, and his head rolled off.
Elias, the taller guy, paced away from Leon.
Leon closed the distance.
Elias shouted with a trembling voice, "Stay back!"
It finally cleared up before Leon.
No one takes your complaints seriously until they escalate into a rage. The moment you fight back, they see you as a bad person... a monster. But that's exactly how Leon would say to survive, if asked. In other words, cruelty is how everyone lives.
The fate gods created monsters to desire human flesh. And humans do enjoy fried meat as well. With each bite, the crispy meat sinks to a tender juiciness as the flavors melt into the sauce like cream into coffee.
It's cruelty on both ends. No creature is wrong for killing the other; the gods are to blame for everything.
As Elias was about to trip, Leon dashed forward. To him now, it wasn't wrong to bite the hand that refused to feed you.
SWOOSH!
"Get-"
Leon grabbed him mid-fall. Then, they both blurred right into the temple in the next second. Elias scanned around until Leon's appearance froze his-
STAB!
Elias's body dropped onto the cold floor. Blood pooled beneath him.
Leon sighed.
'Guess I gave them the right judgment.' Holding a frank countenance, he affirmed, "I don't feel guilty at all. No... I don't. I had to do it to survive. If this path is wrong, then let's atone for it in the next life."
***
After a while, Leon heard footsteps. Later, Scarlet walked down the upper floor stairs and toward the entrance.
Leon's eyes widened.
"Uh? Why is she covering her eyes?"
Of course, she had a strange box in her hand. But... why was the palm covering her right eye bloody?
Scarlet did nothing but ask him to leave with her upon reaching. They both had questions. Upon walking around ten metres away from the temple, Leon stopped behind Scarlet...
"I should ask... why..."
Cutting him off, Scarlet pointed left, "Isn't that beautiful?"
Leon furrowed his brows. Then he glanced over there.
SWOOSH! Scarlet blurred forward. Before Leon could react, her hand struck the side of his neck.
Leon's body crashed to the ground. He tried to keep his eyes open, but no. Everything went dark, his breathing feeling foreign to him.
Amidst his fleeting thread of consciousness, he heard Scarlet say,
"I'm sorry. But this is where we part ways."