Chapter 654
Chapter Title: A Mark of Devotion
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Shing—!
Leo drew his sword.
Fwoosh—!
In that instant, Chen Xia vanished from sight.
Clang—!
Leo narrowed his eyes, seeing Chen Xia reappear right beside him.
‘Was Chen Xia always this fast?’
Before Leo could even fully draw his sword, Chen Xia was already swinging a dagger at his neck.
Blocking her attack with his sheathed sword, Leo met Chen Xia’s murderous gaze and pressed forward.
Thwack—!
With their blades locked, he overpowered her with sheer strength.
Screeeech—!
Chen Xia crossed her daggers to block Leo's attack.
But it wasn't enough to stop his blade.
Her offensive stance, aimed at his neck, was twisted into a defensive one as Leo bore down on her.
Crack—!
The ground beneath Chen Xia’s feet began to crack.
Whoosh! Kra-kooom!
In a flash, Leo’s sword slammed into the ground.
"Whoa!"
"Chen Xia?!"
Screams erupted from the third-years, who thought Chen Xia had been overwhelmed by Leo’s strength.
Leo narrowed his eyes, peering into the thick cloud of dust.
Having deflected Leo’s force, Chen Xia was pressed flat against the ground.
The diagonal swing of his sword had narrowly missed her head.
Swish—!
Looking up at Leo from the ground, Chen Xia sprang forward, closing the distance between them.
Flick—!
She threw the dagger in her hand toward Leo.
Whirrr—!
The spinning dagger aimed for his vitals.
Leo dodged it with minimal movement.
Chen Xia instantly closed in, placing a hand on his chest.
Boom—!
At point-blank range, her water aura exploded.
An immense wave of water pressure slammed into Leo.
But Leo, seemingly unfazed, reached for Chen Xia.
"Did he just endure that!? Senior Xia's attack?"
Harviden shouted, his eyes wide, while Duran narrowed his.
"No. He countered it with his own water aura."
Leo had unleashed his own burst of water aura to match Chen Xia’s attack.
As Leo tried to grab her by the neck, Chen Xia kicked off the ground and created distance.
Simultaneously, the water flowing around her sharpened into blades and shot toward Leo’s vital points.
Fwoosh—!
Leo snatched the water aura as if catching a curtain.
The water aura, sharp enough to slice through rock, was caught in his hand.
Bubble, bubble, bubble—
But the water blades were neutralized by the water aura Leo created.
With nimble movements, Chen Xia tried to create even more distance.
Just as she tried to release the water aura caught in his hand.
Whoosh—!
"...?!"
Leo yanked the water aura, pulling Chen Xia toward him.
Of course, it didn't end there.
Chen Xia's water aura was being corrupted by Leo's.
‘He’s taking control of my water.’
The aura that had once obeyed her will now resisted her.
The water aura seized Chen Xia like a rope.
She was effectively bound by it.
Having subdued Chen Xia using her own aura, Leo swung the watery tether and slammed her into the ground.
Crash—!
Watching Chen Xia get smashed into the training ground floor, the first and second-years instinctively squeezed their eyes shut.
"If you came at me ready to kill, then I have to respond in kind, don't I?"
Leo said with a deadpan expression.
He meant he wouldn't hold back.
Chen Xia must have been prepared for this when she challenged him.
‘No, this isn't a spar anymore.’
Leo muttered inwardly as he yanked Chen Xia up and slammed her into the ground on the opposite side.
‘This is a fight to the death.’
Since Chen Xia was fighting him with everything she had, Leo had to do the same.
Only then could she show the others what she wanted them to see.
‘That’s the proper courtesy for an opponent who comes at you with their all.’
The moment Leo pulled on the tether again.
Fwoosh—!
Chen Xia broke free from the watery rope binding her.
The scattered water fragments instantly turned into needles and rained down on Leo.
P-p-p-p-pat—!
Leo threw himself aside to dodge the attack.
Whizz—!
Something was thrown from Chen Xia’s hand.
Leo tilted his head back to avoid it.
Thud—!
Chen Xia landed on the ground.
Leo straightened his head.
Drip—
A thin line of blood trickled down Leo’s cheek.
"Hmm."
Leo tapped his cheek.
"Hidden weapons. Getting serious, are we?"
Leo’s red eyes glinted dangerously.
Chen Xia smiled, grabbing her left shoulder with her right hand.
Pop—
With a sickening sound, her dislocated shoulder snapped back into place.
Then she grabbed her left forearm with her right hand.
Crack—!
The sound of bone setting could be heard.
She stimulated the muscles around the broken bone in her left forearm with aura, setting it in place.
Of course, excruciating pain washed over her, but she paid it no mind.
Chen Xia wasn't weak enough to let pain dull her movements, nor had she lived an easy life.
"I don't like getting rough."
"You're the one who made things rough, aren't you?"
Leo’s lips curled into a smirk.
Watching him, Chen Xia readjusted her grip on her dagger.
She had no intention of stopping.
Seeing this, Celia's expression hardened.
‘Leo is serious.’
Celia clenched her fists.
Watching their fight, she could tell.
The two of them were engaged in a perilous, life-or-death battle.
A fight on the edge, one only experienced by those who have faced death countless times.
A razor-thin battle where the smallest mistake led directly to death.
‘Could I last against a truly serious Leo like Xia is?’
She wasn't confident.
She understood at once what Chen Xia was trying to tell them.
‘This is a real fight.’
Whether it was Chen Xia or Leo.
The enemies they would have to fight in the future would surely be on that level.
On the surface, it seemed like a paper-thin difference, but that difference was vast.
Duran felt it too, his expression grim.
It wasn't just Duran.
Chloe, Chelsea, and Abad, as well as Woreden and Eliza.
While the others were focused on Leo, they were watching Chen Xia.
‘For the past two years, I’ve never once seen Chen Xia fight for real.’
Even Chen Xia, whom they considered a rival, had been hiding her true combat skills.
The person they thought was standing beside them was actually a step ahead.
‘This isn't just a lesson.’
Celia bit her lip hard.
‘I will stand behind Young Master Leo before anyone else.’
This fight was a provocation aimed at her rivals.
This declaration of war from someone she thought was on the same level was a rude awakening.
While Chen Xia’s fight was shocking the third-years.
Dagger in hand, Chen Xia took a step forward.
Watching her, Leo narrowed his eyes.
‘Time to end this.’
The reason Chen Xia could direct killing intent at him with such sincerity was because of the vast gap in their skills.
Even standing at death's door, the best Chen Xia could do was leave a small scratch on Leo’s cheek.
That was the best she could manage.
If the fight continued any longer, Chen Xia would be in real danger.
‘I’ll end it with the next blow.’
Chen Xia's movements were already within Leo's predictions.
The fight was as good as over.
The moment he thought that.
Fwoosh—!
Chen Xia’s body vanished like a mirage.
What caught Leo’s eye was a black haze.
It was as if she had disappeared from this world.
‘This is...!’
It far surpassed Leo’s expectations.
He had completely lost track of her presence.
Had this been a technique Leo didn't know, he might not have been able to react.
Leo swung his palm behind him.
Normally, he would have thrown a punch.
But if he had, Chen Xia’s life would have truly been in danger.
Though Leo had been dealing with her with a degree of composure until now, he reacted to this movement with genuine seriousness.
Boom—!
Leo’s palm struck Chen Xia in the chest.
Chen Xia was sent flying out of the training ground, about to crash into the field wall.
Whoosh—!
Ain’s assistant professor, Claria, gently caught Chen Xia in her arms and landed on the ground.
Thump—!
"According to the Knight Division's regulations, life-or-death battles are forbidden."
Ain appeared in the middle of the training ground.
"Being the student council president doesn't give you a free pass. Besides, just now. You were really serious, weren't you?"
"I apologize."
"Haa... For now, you and Chen Xia are on bathroom cleaning duty for a week as punishment. You'll get demerits too, of course."
"Yes, sir."
Watching Leo nod calmly, Ain spoke.
"First, take Chen Xia to the nurse's office."
Claria, who had approached Leo, handed Chen Xia over.
Leo held the unconscious Chen Xia in his arms and headed for the nurse's office.
"Isn't that a little lenient?"
Ain chuckled at Claria’s words.
"Neither Leo nor Xia are fools who would cause trouble out of hot-bloodedness."
If they had done this out of a personal grudge or competitive spirit, they wouldn't have gotten off with just bathroom duty; they'd be in the detention room.
But their fight served as a stimulus for the others.
"I believe it was a necessary fight."
Looking at the contemplative top third-years, Ain glanced over at Leo.
"For that Leo kid, too."
"For student Leo as well?"
"Yes."
Claria looked puzzled.
"Because his burden has probably lightened a little."
***
Arriving at the nurse's office, Leo laid Chen Xia on a bed.
Having regained consciousness, Chen Xia opened her eyes.
"How was it, Young Master Leo?"
"...How did you use that?"
"My ancestor possessed my body once before, remember? I memorized his movements from that time and have been practicing ever since."
The footwork Chen Xia had just shown was Bihar's.
Bihar's aura skill, which allowed him to move without a trace.
A secret technique of Bihar's that even Kyle couldn't use.
"...I guess I can't treat you like a kid anymore."
"Of course not. I'm nineteen this year. I'm a proper adult now, you know? Please treat me like one from now on."
"Still, wasn't this a bit much? Actually stabbing me was going too far."
Leo pointed to his back.
In that fleeting moment when Leo lost track of her.
The dagger of Bihar in Chen Xia's hand had lightly pierced Leo's back.
It wasn't a deep wound, but it had drawn a little blood.
"Please, let that scar remain forever."
"Why? I'm not at an age where I need to carve scars on my body to grow."
"It's a mark."
"A mark?"
"Yes, a mark that I will stand behind you for the rest of my life, Young Master Leo. Proof that I've claimed that spot."
Chen Xia wore a delighted expression.
"From now on, the place behind you is mine and mine alone, Young Master Leo. I won't yield it to anyone."
Watching Chen Xia speak as if she were writing her name on her property, Leo let out a hollow laugh.
"I was the first to leave a blade mark on your back, Young Master Leo, so I'm more than qualified, aren't I?"
"Fine, do as you please."
Chen Xia beamed at Leo's words.
Looking at her, Leo chuckled.
"Then I suppose I should give you a reward."
"A reward?"
"Yes. Can you close your eyes?"
Chen Xia closed her eyes.
Just as she felt a strange flutter in her heart.
Something was pressed against her forehead.
"What the...?"
Chen Xia, flustered, rubbed her forehead and then created a mirror out of water aura.
She scowled upon seeing the [Good Job.] stamp on her forehead.
"This childish stamp is my reward?"
"What were you expecting? A 'Good Job' stamp is plenty for a kid."
"I already told you I'm an adult now!"
"The fact that you have to call yourself an adult is proof that you're still a kid."
Leo patted Chen Xia's forehead and shrugged.
"Well, get some rest. I'm heading to class."
Watching Leo's back as he casually left the nurse's office, Chen Xia sighed deeply.
‘Maybe if I looked a bit more mature, he’d stop treating me like a child?’
***
Deep in the night.
On the northeastern edge of the continent.
It was the homeland of the dwarves, lost long ago in an invasion by Tartaros.
"Everyone, run! Hurry!"
Grwoooooo—!
The roar of a demonic beast echoed.
The face of the dwarf hero leading the scouting party turned deathly pale.
Despite it being Tartaros territory, the dwarves had dispatched a scouting party because signs of a Hero Dungeon had recently been detected in the area.
If it was a rampaging Hero Dungeon, it had to be conquered before it could consume the world.
Even if it was within Tartaros's domain.
And now, the scouting party was facing annihilation.
They had encountered a massive legion of Gigantes, something that shouldn't have been in this area.
That alone was proof that a rampaging Hero Dungeon had appeared here.
His mission was to report this fact to the outside world, even at the cost of his life.
"There's a fortress used by our ancestors just ahead! We'll make our stand there!"
The dwarf hero encouraged his party members.
But his face was etched with despair.
That fortress had long since fallen into ruin.
Its functions had been lost for just as long.
‘I have to buy even a little time! I have to get this information to Demian, no matter what!’
The dwarf hero and his party gritted their teeth, knowing they were already as good as dead.
If so, they had to at least relay the situation here.
But the Gigantes legion wouldn't even allow that.
The closer they got to the fortress, the more the number of Gigantes grew exponentially.
The Gigantes, rampaging wildly in the darkness, mercilessly slaughtered the dwarves.
"Captain! You have to get away, at least!"
"Fellorn!"
The dwarf hero, Noren, screamed at the death of his second-in-command.
It was a scene of carnage.
"O noble Demian! O great Dweno! Please, grant us the strength to complete our mission!"
Noren prayed to the great heroes of old.
The sun would rise soon.
When the sun rises, the demonic Gigantes will weaken, and they'll be able to reach the fortress.
‘Then, I can at least fulfill my duty...’
Checking the time, Noren anxiously waited for the dawn.
And the moment dawn broke.
"... ."
Thump—
Noren sank to the ground, his legs giving out.
A crimson-black sun was driving away the starlit night sky.
A gray morning was approaching.
Noren knew all too well what it was.
From long before he became a hero.
The sky from the heroic tales he had read since he was very, very young.
"The Age... of Calamity?"
He couldn't even process the situation.
What mattered was that sun was a symbol of despair.
At the appearance of the crimson-black sun, the dwarves lost their will to fight and fell into despair.
In that moment, they even forgot that they had just barely reached the vicinity of the fortress.
Kra-koooom—!
The sound of cannon fire echoed.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Grwoooooooo!
Kaaaaaaack!
The Gigantes, struck by the magic cannons, shrieked in agony.
Startled, the dwarves' gazes turned toward the source of the bombardment.
And they saw it.
Not a ruin, but a massive, stalwart fortress.
Seeing it, Noren's jaw dropped.
"What in the world... is happening?"
In Noren's astonished gaze, he saw a single dwarf standing atop the fortress wall.
Noren's eyes widened at the sight of the gallant figure, wreathed in golden flames.
"The... Divine Blacksmith?"