Chapter 628

Book 1 Chapter 628

“Keep fighting! Luna is still containing the Demon Queen!”

Akint’s voice rang out in desperation.

Nearly twelve hours had passed since the Demon Queen Sillatuna pulled Leo into the Curse of Isolation.

Risking everything in what looked like a suicidal maneuver, Leo had managed to trap Sillatuna for an incredible length of time.

‘Had Luna always possessed this level of capability?’

Akint squeezed his fist tight, his eyes fixed on the exact space where the Curse of Isolation had been deployed.

It was undeniable that Luna held the strength necessary to take down a Legion Commander. However, that estimation was based entirely on her capabilities as a standard mage, not on surviving a direct, one-on-one duel against a Legion Commander.

‘Luna’s demeanor today was definitely out of the ordinary.’

The usual playful smiles and confident declarations to leave everything to her were entirely absent. Instead, she had offered only quiet, steady reassurance.

‘And then there was that particular spell.’

The memory of the blinding, magnificent incantation that had struck Sillatuna head-on flashed vividly through Akint’s mind. It carried an overwhelming torrent of force unlike anything he had ever witnessed before. Yet, the underlying structure felt strangely familiar to him.

‘Mentor Akint! Take a look at this! Isn’t it magnificent?’

‘It is, truly remarkable. Once this formula is fully realized, the entire world will surely…’

‘Exactly! I will cover the whole world in vibrant gardens! The ultimate spell to make flowers blossom will finally be complete!’

‘…You chose this over designing a spell intended to salvage civilization?’

‘Oh, saving the world is merely a byproduct that happens naturally once the flowers bloom.’

The intricate magical array Luna had unveiled back then was a masterpiece of such complexity that even a lifetime scholar of the mystic arts like himself could barely comprehend it.

‘Is it possible she actually perfected it?’

No other explanation made sense.

‘If Luna only had steadfast allies to shield her… there might actually be a path to ending this dark age.’

Luna resembled a blossom that had only just begun to unfurl. As long as individuals of her boundless caliber existed, this grim era still held a glimmer of promise.

‘She grew past my tutelage a very long time ago.’

Summoning the memory of his bright pupil, Akint gathered his mana and faced the oncoming horde.

The enemy’s assault was unrelenting and vicious. Against such overwhelming numbers, the elves resembled flickering candles exposed to a gale—a fragile line that could shatter at any single moment. Yet, they held their ground with fierce defiance.

Those gathered on this battlefield were elite combatants prepared to sacrifice their lives for the salvation of their world. While some among them had not yet reached the pinnacle of growth required for such a crisis, there was no shortage of powerful warriors whose might mirrored that of true legends.

Furthermore, the enemy forces were currently devoid of central leadership. Although Sillatuna’s personal vanguard—monstrously powerful and terrifying demonkin—fought with savage fury, they lacked the authority to coordinate the entire army. A horde was merely an extension of its master’s will; it required a commander to achieve its true, devastating potential.

‘If Luna can just overcome Sillatuna… securing victory in this conflict is completely within our reach!’

Steeling his resolve with that thought, Akint ground his teeth and watched the approaching shadow stretching across the horizon. Twilight was fast approaching, and it was certain that the battlefield would become far more perilous once darkness fell.

Right at that moment—

Sizzzzzle-!

The very fabric of the atmosphere began to fracture. Akint snapped his gaze toward the disturbance.

Fzzzt! Crackle-!

The sky tore open like glass, and an immense, menacing demonic figure materialized from the rift.

“The Demon Queen!”

“Merciful heavens…”

The elven forces instantly plummeted into despair upon witnessing the Demon Queen break free from the Curse of Isolation.

“Our Monarch has returned!”

“Triumph belongs to us!”

In stark contrast, the morale of Sillatuna’s forces surged exponentially. As the demonic horde renewed its savage push, Sillatuna’s frantic, echoing voice reverberated across the field.

[Ahahahahahahaha-! I have broken through! I am finally unbound!]

Yet, her physical state appeared deeply uncharacteristic. Crimson vital fluid washed over her entire form, cascading to the earth like a torrential downpour. The moment her blood splattered against the soil, a dense, highly toxic vapor enveloped the area.

While it presented a terrifying spectacle, it also revealed an underlying truth: her physical vessel was thoroughly mangled, hence the unstoppable hemorrhaging. Seeing their ruler in such a gruesome state, the invading army began to waver and murmur.

“Luna?!”

Akint scanned the area in a panic, searching for Leo. Then, his eyes found her.

Leo was suspended in the heavens, positioned right before the advancing twilight. A brilliant, concentrated luminescence coalesced within her palm.

Star Magic – End

In an instant, the radiating light drove back the encroaching shadows. Sensing the mortal peril, the demonic horde coalesced into a colossal wall of living tissue, shielding Sillatuna from the strike.

Leo’s spell slammed directly into the biological barricade. Though the massive shield composed of monsters was utterly obliterated, Sillatuna herself escaped unscathed.

[The dark is arriving! Your time has run out!]

A look of pure triumph washed over Sillatuna’s features. She had been confined within her own Curse of Isolation, subjected to an agonizing eternity of dread. But the elven adversary who had inflicted that absolute terror was now completely depleted. Sillatuna now possessed her army, and nightfall was sweeping across the land. The roles had reversed; the burden of terror now belonged to the elf.

However, the malicious smirk twisting Sillatuna’s face quickly turned to a scowl. Her irritation stemmed entirely from Leo’s demeanor—the elf was staring intently toward the horizon, completely disregarding the Demon Queen’s presence.

She was looking west, where the descending sun gave way to twilight.

[To look down on me until the absolute end…!]

Furious at the blatant disrespect, Sillatuna suddenly recollected a critical detail. The legendary artifact belonging to the Glutton King—her ally and the most formidable of the Legion Commanders—was rumored to be situated in the western lands.

[It cannot be…!]

Flash-!

Without warning, a magnificent radiance erupted from the western horizon, violently dispelling the twilight that gripped the world. Every soul on the battlefield instinctively turned toward the source of the blinding glare.

[This sensation is…!]

Of all the incantations within Leo’s repertoire, the single most destructive in terms of sheer output was End, originally devised by Luna. No other spell could rival its raw force, adaptability, or area of effect. Yet, under highly specific circumstances, there existed one particular magic capable of matching or even eclipsing it—a holy attribute magic designed for the utter eradication of malevolent entities.

“Punishment.”

It was the signature magic of Lisinas, an incantation that had purged countless demons throughout history.

Standing at the epicenter of the brilliant western light stood a figure. The striking, dark-haired woman, Lisinas, locked eyes with Leo for a fleeting instant. Her expression carried a mixture of astonishment and profound relief.

Gazing at Leo, Lisinas offered a gentle, reassuring smile. She drew back a shimmering arrow upon a bow forged entirely of light, locked her aim directly onto Sillatuna, and loosed the string.

Flash-!

[Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!]

An agonizing shriek tore from Sillatuna’s throat.

In the original timeline of events, this engagement had already degenerated into an unavoidable catastrophe.

‘But things have shifted now.’

The trajectory of history had been rewritten.

Leo materialized his magical staff, drawing deep upon his internal reserves to generate mana. The potency of any spell was inherently tied to its preparation period; the more time invested in the incantation, the more catastrophic the final output. The fatal flaw was that a magus remained entirely vulnerable during such an extended channel.

And Leo was positioned dead center in a chaotic war zone. Even after absorbing the brunt of Lisinas’s holy strike, the Demon Queen persisted, and her vast vanguard remained operational.

[You repulsive wretch! How dare you attempt this right before my eyes!]

Rumble-!

Sillatuna swung her massive limb downward, intending to obliterate Leo where she stood.

“Repulsive? Is your eyesight failing you?”

At that precise second, a mocking voice cut through the air, accompanied by the flash of a muted gray aura.

Slash-slash-slash-slash-!

An instantaneous tempest of razor-sharp sword energy shredded Sillatuna’s descending arm into mincemeat, sending a downpour of gore raining onto the battlefield.

“Calling such an exquisite elf repulsive is a bit much.”

The wielder of the gray energy immediately channeled a combination of elemental sorcery and spirits, setting Sillatuna’s physical form ablaze.

Boom! Whoosh-!

Flames of standard magic and elemental spirits erupted in tandem, burning with intense fury.

[Kyaaaah!]

Wailing in agony once more, Sillatuna fixed a gaze of unadulterated malice upon the young man sporting ash-colored hair.

[All-Class! Are you that meddlesome hero who refuses to die?!]

“The very same. Our brief encounter has been thoroughly unpleasant. Let’s ensure we never cross paths again.”

Kyle extended an insulting gesture toward Sillatuna before shifting his gaze back toward Leo.

“Alright, gorgeous. Deliver the final blow.”

‘…Did I truly possess such a ridiculous manner of speaking in the past?’

Leo’s brow twitched with irritation as he observed Kyle, who was tilting his chin with an incredibly arrogant air.

“Unbelievable. Elves are always so full of themselves.”

Kyle clicked his tongue, evidently misinterpreting the source of Leo’s disapproval.

“Unbelievable indeed.”

Releasing a sigh at the behavior of his former self, Leo unleashed the gathered spell.

“End.”

The very magic destined to become an emblem of absolute terror for Tartaros in the eras to come was once again unleashed by Leo. This iteration, however, stood apart from the previous casting. It was infused with the absolute pinnacle of destructive power Leo could possibly muster.

BOOOOOOOOOOM-

[Aaaaaaaah! Almighty Monarch!]

Sillatuna’s final scream resonated across the battlefield as she took the full force of End. When the violent tempest of raw mana finally dissipated, absolutely nothing remained of the Demon Queen.

“…Incredible.”

Kyle muttered in sheer astonishment at the vacuum left behind. It was clear he had never envisioned a spell of such cataclysmic scale.

Having depleted every single drop of mana within his reservoir, Leo’s physical frame wavered dangerously.

Thump-!

Just as Leo lost his footing and began to plummet toward the earth, a firm hand gripped his arm.

“Are you alright?”

Lisinas offered a warm smile, providing steady support.

“You are Luna, correct?”

Leo offered a quiet nod in response before countering with a question of his own.

“Does the name Rodia mean anything to you?”

“Pardon? Who might that be?”

“…It is nothing. Disregard it.”

‘…It appears Lisinas’s consciousness in this alternate space holds no connection to the other.’

Perhaps it was a consequence of this location not being the true domain of the heroes.

Noticing his silence, Lisinas spoke up.

“We shall handle the cleanup from here. Kyle!”

Receiving the cue, Kyle gave a curt nod and dropped down to the earth to engage the remaining remnants of the demonic vanguard.

As darkness fully claimed the sky, the conflict concluded with the successful reclamation of the Elven Forest. Given the circumstances, it was an entirely expected resolution.

‘Unlike the previous timeline, Sillatuna has been properly eliminated by my hand.’

Leo stared quietly at his palm.

‘In this instance, my solitary presence in this domain allowed me to alter the course of history… but what occurs in realities where the demonic entities have successfully infiltrated?’

Possessing knowledge of the future was an incredibly disruptive variable.

While Leo remained deep in contemplation regarding the path ahead—

“Luna!”

“Lady Luna!”

The surviving elven forces, spearheaded by Akint, hurried toward Leo’s position. Observing their approach, Lisinas moved forward with a gracious smile.

“You must be Master Akint. It is a true privilege to make your acquaintance. I am Lisinas. We owe you our profound gratitude for guiding everyone to this spectacular triumph.”

Akint shook his head in a modest dismissal.

“Far from it. Victory would have eluded us entirely without your timely intervention. We are deeply indebted to your forces for the reinforcement.”

While the two leaders exchanged formalities—

“Lady Luna! Have you sustained any severe injuries?”

Hirion sprinted over, looking incredibly anxious.

Gazing at him, Leo remarked, “You managed to pull through.”

“Yes. By some stroke of luck…”

Leo let out a soft chuckle at Hirion’s self-deprecating grin, just as another figure approached.

“Are you doing alright?”

Kyle walked over to Leo. Leo’s gaze sharpened slightly as he noted the distinctly haughty expression plastered across Kyle’s face.

‘Was my demeanor truly that incredibly irritating?’

Observing his past self from an outside perspective stirred a bizarre, complicated emotion within Leo.

“Hmph. Typical elves. Does my gaze offend you that much?”

“That is not the issue.”

Amused by the strange irony of the situation, Leo simply shook his head. Kyle let out a sharp chuckle at the response.

“If that isn’t it, then what is? Have you taken a liking to me?”

“How dare you speak so insolently to Lady Luna!”

Hirion bristled instantly. Kyle merely responded with a look of utter boredom.

Meanwhile, Leo found himself reflecting on the past.

‘No wonder Lisinas and Luna used to clash with me so often. I harbor an urge to strike him myself.’

Just as Leo was frowning deeply at his past self’s antics—

[Condition Unfulfilled: The domain faces annihilation.]

A blinding flash erupted alongside the sudden notification, completely obscuring his field of vision. When the luminescence finally receded, the familiar landscape of Flobe Territory stretched out before him.

Leo looked down at the charred parchment resting in his palm.

Swoosh-

The material crumbled into fine soot and blew away.

‘Does the record dissolve entirely upon an unsuccessful resolution?’

Leo’s expression grew grim as he watched the chronicle of the vanguard scatter into absolute nothingness.

‘I will need to seek counsel from Melina regarding this.’

Leo shifted his gaze toward the distance.

‘Now then, it is time to bring our current matter to a definitive close.’

As Leo began making his way toward the distinct energy signature belonging to Zorua, a sudden thought crossed his mind.

‘On another note… if I truly behaved that obnoxiously, what could have possibly possessed them to care for me?’

It was an inquiry to which both Lisinas and Luna would undoubtedly have agreed, “Honestly, we have no idea either.”

629.

Rumble-rumble-rumble-!

The earth trembled violently.

Enveloped in thick stone plating, Zorua charged directly toward Reina.

Whoosh-!

Reina executed a fluid, elegant arc with her weapon.

Blaze-!

Vibrant embers painted the sky along the path of her weapon’s trajectory. The expanding heat, rather than dissipating into the atmosphere, instantly condensed and saturated the metal edge.

The glowing blade of Flame Storm radiated a deep crimson. Reina fixed a piercing gaze on Zorua, who had closed the distance between them.

Clang-! Crack-!

Accompanied by a resonant, metallic impact, Reina’s weapon failed to penetrate Zorua’s defenses and was deflected away. Gritting her teeth against the force, she utilized the momentum to spin her body, successfully parrying Zorua’s follow-up strike.

CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-!

A massive shockwave ripped through the ground along the linear path of Zorua’s bull rush. Reina grimaced as a sharp numbness surged up her right arm, which was straining to hold her sword.

‘It has given out.’

Her wrist joint had sustained severe damage during that last exchange.

[Listen to me! Reina Flobe! You have pushed past your absolute threshold!]

Ishta shouted in panic to the straining warrior. Reina’s physical form was already a mosaic of lacerations and contusions, with numerous fractured bones riddle-marking her frame. She was maintaining her battle stance through sheer grit, avoiding only the catastrophic, paralyzing trauma that would completely immobilize her.

Her unresponsive muscles were being forced into motion via the kinetic application of her flames. Yet, relying on such a hazardous methodology had finally brought her to a dead end.

[If your physical vessel falls apart, your consciousness will shatter with it! My elemental fire will consume you entirely from within!]

Reina simply tightened her hold on her hilt.

[You have performed spectacularly! Your valor eclipses that of any champion I have ever laid eyes upon!]

Ishta desperately attempted to dissuade her.

[You have given more than enough!]

“I disagree.”

Reina forced her shaking blade back into an offensive posture aimed at Zorua.

“There is still strength left in me to fight.”

She had breached her personal boundaries countless times already. Furthermore, her adversary’s reserves had been significantly depleted from his previous engagement with Leo. Even with those factors aligned, the disparity in raw power remained immense.

There were certain obstacles in existence that could not be overcome by sheer resolve alone, and the entity standing before her was precisely that kind of immovable wall. Reina possessed no viable path to defeating Zorua.

“I have a legacy that must be transmitted to those who follow.”

Yet, surrender was not an option she entertained.

“A fire is meant to ignite with its greatest brilliance right before it burns out completely.”

Should she falter here, the successors relying on her would meet their demise. Reina cast a brief glance toward Celia.

“My instructions to her remain incomplete.”

She needed to impart whatever knowledge she could manage while time permitted. With that determination stabilizing her mind, Reina’s resolve erupted.

“Therefore, grant me your essence.”

[Good grief! You stubborn fool! Have it your way, then!]

WHOOSH-!

The surrounding inferno intensified drastically, generating a level of heat so profound that even Reina felt her focus wavering for a fraction of a second. Amidst the excruciating sensation of her own flesh scorching, she forced herself into a state of absolute concentration.

‘Hold on! Just maintain this form for a few moments longer!’

“You persistent insect!”

Zorua’s voice boomed with lethal intent. Had he retained even a modicum of tactical clarity, he could have concluded this skirmish far sooner by utilizing the assortment of stolen techniques at his disposal.

However, after being thoroughly humiliated by Leo and subsequently struggling against Reina—an opponent he knew to be fundamentally weaker than himself—Zorua’s mental stability was rapidly unraveling. Consequently, he resorted to a crude strategy of trying to crush her with overwhelming, brute power.

The gap in their capabilities was undeniable, yet Zorua, who fancied himself a master of his stolen arsenal, was merely being dragged along by its volatile nature. He was incapable of channeling his powers with true precision. Such was the inherent flaw of someone who survived on plagiarized strength.

“This concludes our business!”

Rumble-rumble-rumble-!

Cloaked in a massive shroud of earthen energy—an element diametrically opposed to fire—Zorua accelerated toward Reina with terrifying velocity. It was an assault packed with such immense kinetic force that a mere graze would disintegrate any matter in its path.

Reina inhaled deeply. The blistering environment grew tighter, the excruciating agony of her burning body threatening to plunge her mind into unconsciousness. Yet, her focus never wavered.

‘Condense.’

She funneled the entirety of the rampaging fire into a singular, compressed point.

‘Track his trajectory perfectly.’

Her crimson eyes locked onto Zorua’s oncoming form.

‘Stand firm! Erase all hesitation!’

She steeled her heart.

‘He can be pierced. Move… forward!’

Step- Slash-!

Reina lunged forward, executing a definitive slash.

Splurt-!

At that identical instant, Zorua’s charging frame, which had reached her immediate vicinity, was cleanly cleaved into two sections.

Thud- Whoosh-!

Reina collapsed heavily onto the soil as the shrouding flames instantly evaporated from her form.

Plop-

Her body tipped forward onto the earth.

“Aunt!”

Celia sprinted to her side, her face drained of all color.

Breathing in shallow, ragged gasps, Reina managed a faint smile.

“It appears… I managed to connect…”

“Yes.”

Celia forced down her emotions and gave a firm nod.

“Celia, that specific strike… you must commit it to memory. Do you understand?”

“Completely.”

Fighting back the tears threatening to spill over, Celia responded resolutely. She understood perfectly the weight of the technique Reina had just demonstrated for her benefit.

“This wretched woman… to the very bitter end…”

A terrifying torrent of murderous energy erupted from Zorua as his body reconstituted once more.

“But this truly marks the conclusion! I will reduce you to nothing but a crimson smear!”

Zorua roared in a chilling tone, raising his palm to strike. The moment Celia witnessed the motion and began manifesting her aura—

Flash-!

“…!”

A pristine, blinding white radiance burst forth directly behind Zorua.

“What is that?”

Reina’s eyes went wide.

“This is impossible! Leo Flobe!”

Zorua spun his head around, crying out in utter disbelief. Standing there was Leo, bathed in a brilliant white luminescence that mirrored the breaking of dawn.

“Leo!”

Celia’s face lit up with hope.

“Aunt! It’s Leo! He’s finally returned…!”

As Celia moved to assist Reina, she suddenly paused, looking bewildered.

“Aunt?”

Reina was staring blankly at Leo, her mind seemingly lost in a distant memory. The image of Leo framed by that majestic light felt incredibly familiar.

From a time long past, his figure perfectly mirrored an individual who had once brought dazzling sunlight into a bleak, darkened world.

Unconsciously, Reina breathed out a legendary title.

“The Hero of Beginnings…”

Leo’s eyes focused sharply as he closed in on the coordinate where Zorua’s presence lingered. Along the way, he observed various demonkin deploying peculiar capabilities.

Chelsea, who was locked in combat with a massive ogre, spotted Leo’s approach, her expression turning into one of immense relief.

“Brother Leo!”

“What is the situation with those entities?”

“I lack the exact specifics! However, they are employing highly unique traits! And they possess advanced intellect!”

“Is that so?”

A realization clicked within his mind.

‘The World of Legions.’

Slaying a challenge within a Hero’s World granted specific power upgrades as a standard reward. The system governing the World of Legions likely operated on a parallel mechanic.

‘Are these individuals the defectors who managed to clear the World of Legions?’

The reward for their completion appeared to manifest as the corruptive power of the demonkin.

‘It resembles a curse far more than a benefit. Then again, it is an appropriate conclusion for a traitor.’

Processing the thought, Leo redirected his attention toward Jamua.

“Do you require assistance?”

Jamua smirked confidently at the offer.

“Do I appear as though I am struggling? Hyaaaah!”

Crash-!

Jamua threw his entire weight into a powerful body slam against the ogre, sending the massive beast hurtling backward from the sheer kinetic impact.

“Chelsea!”

“On it!”

“Excellent! Keep that intensity up! Just like a proper member of the Knight Department!”

“I belong to the Magic Department!”

“Yet you regularly attend the Knight Department curriculum!”

“That is strictly because I am pursuing a Battle Mage specialization, making it my secondary focus!”

‘They seem to have everything well under control.’

Reassured by the pair’s bickering but highly effective teamwork, Leo shifted his attention elsewhere.

Nearby, Lis and Avad were systematically dismantling a Gigantes. Up in the sky, Ulta was effortlessly culling swarms of airborne beasts. Across the field, the entire force experienced a massive surge in morale simply from witnessing Leo’s arrival. His mere presence had completely inverted the momentum of the engagement.

Finally, Leo stepped into the immediate area where Zorua stood and began circulating his internal energy.

‘He likely recovered his basic functions by utilizing the core authority of the Necromancer King upon his revival.’

That newly manifested trait allowed him to sustain his vitality by absorbing the unique capabilities of others.

‘Eliminating him repeatedly is an inefficient waste of time. If that is the case…’

Leo’s crimson eyes gleamed with cold intent.

‘I will simply eradicate the core authority itself.’

The power of the Necromancer King was a construct forged through the dark favor of Erebus. Having secured a fragment of Erebus’s essence, the Necromancer King now wielded an authority far more potent than the version from five millennia ago.

However, if that authority was fundamentally anchored to the dark energy of Erebus—

‘I can systematically dismantle it using the concept of purity.’

A muted gray energy began to coat the edge of Leo’s weapon. The gray hue rapidly shifted, transitioning into a brilliant, immaculate white radiance. Simultaneously, a magnificent luminescence burst forth, illuminating the surroundings as if a new day had broken.

The Aura of Purity—a power Leo had forged in this current existence through endless, rigorous training.

Leo glanced over at Reina, who was facing off against Zorua.

‘Did she tap into Ishta’s reserves…?’

Leo let out a quiet, amused sigh.

‘Incredibly reckless.’

Yet, it was completely in character for her. Reina could occasionally exhibit a highly impulsive, almost juvenile side.

Nevertheless—

‘She remains an exemplary adult… and a mother worthy of respect.’

Leo took a single, decisive step.

Whoosh-!

Closing the distance in an absolute instant, Leo stood before Zorua and spoke in a tone of clear, unadulterated derision.

“Did I not caution you previously?”

Leo offered a chilling smile before delivering a sweeping strike across Zorua’s form.

“You are merely squandering the power you managed to plunder.”

Splurt-!

“Gah!”

Zorua’s physical frame buckled completely. Leo gave his weapon a fluid flick to clear the edge before smoothly returning it to its sheath.

Step- step-

Without offering the collapsed entity another glance, he walked past him toward Reina.

“Preposterous! I have only expended a single life!”

At that moment, Zorua scrambled back to his feet, screaming in frantic denial. His outer appearance began to shift into an exact duplicate of Reina, but the stolen flesh immediately began to liquefy and slough off.

“What is happening to me?”

Beneath the melting exterior, the skeletal framework of Torua exposed itself.

“How can this be…!”

Regardless of which alternate form he attempted to manifest, the tissue instantly dissolved into nothingness.

“This makes no sense! I am facing actual expiration!”

Zorua’s expression warped into pure terror as the reality of his permanent demise finally registered.

“N-No! I am destined to achieve perfection! I am the entity meant to ascend to divinity! To perish in such an absurd, meaningless fashion!”

Thud-!

“Aaaah!”

Reduced entirely to a skeletal entity, Zorua dropped heavily to his knees, his hands clawing frantically at his hollow skull.

“I refuse to fade like this…”

Swoosh-!

Despite his desperate rejections of mortality, Zorua’s physical remaining structure rapidly broke down into fine gray dust, scattering entirely into the wind.

Step- step-

Leaning heavily on Celia for support, Reina quietly observed Leo as he approached her position.

“Are you functional?”

Faced with Leo’s characteristic, stoic inquiry, Reina offered a weary smile and a nod.

“Naturally.”

“That is a relief.”

Reina pouted slightly at his detached demeanor, remarking with a hint of playful dissatisfaction, “Are you not going to lecture me against repeating such reckless behavior?”

“Would Mother actually heed my counsel if I did?”

As Leo let out a soft snicker, Reina muttered a quiet complaint.

“Such an emotionally distant child. Does he maintain this exact same attitude with other young women as well?”

“More or less,” Celia replied with a wry grin.

Right at that moment—

-Ahem! Please recline right here!

Kirian materialized directly in front of Reina.

-Leo explicitly instructed us! To ensure the matriarch receives immediate medical attention!

Pixies possessed highly potent restorative magic.

-Lady Reina, my designation is Elsi. Leo is profoundly concerned regarding your physical state. Do you require any immediate comforts?

Chirp- chirp-

Elsi and Piora hovered closely around Reina, their expressions filled with genuine anxiety.

“…”

Reina let out a soft, breathless laugh.

“He remains entirely unchanged from his childhood years, doesn’t he?”

“In what particular sense?”

“On the surface, he presents himself as completely detached and sarcastic.”

“That is certainly accurate.”

“Yet behind that mask, he quietly orchestrates everything out of deep concern?”

“Ah.”

Celia nodded in instant comprehension. Indeed, Leo possessed exactly that type of hidden warmth.

Reina clicked her tongue lightly, her gaze tracing Leo’s figure as he stood a short distance away with his back turned to them.

“I am not merely saying this due to maternal bias, but he must inadvertently cause quite a few hearts to flutter out there.”