All eyes were locked on the golden portal behind Liam. Until now, the man hovering above him had not directly intervened, leaving a glimmer of hope for the nobles, but that hope was fading fast. As the massive paw of a lion emerged from the portal, the A-ranks began to falter. Their faces drained of color, filled with despair.
The next to emerge was the head, an enormous lion's head, crowned with a golden mane and two formidable horns. In mere seconds, Alad, the Gatekeeper of Ethereon, stood towering over the arena. The sheer magnitude of his presence eclipsed everything else. Liam's eyes widened as he saw the being before him. The light radiating from Alad was blinding, like a god stepping into the mortal realm.
Liam was awestruck. The Gatekeeper was far larger than the first time he summoned him, his very presence shaking the ground.
Alad's head slowly turned, his gaze meeting Leo's. For a brief moment, their eyes locked, a silent exchange between them, and then Alad brought his head down to focus on the battle at hand. The light around him intensified, flowing like liquid gold, and wrapped itself around Liam, bathing him in an aura of divine power. The golden light surrounding him seemed to pulse with unimaginable power, and Liam could feel the surge of energy coursing through his body, filling every fiber with raw strength. he was unstoppable. Nothing could stand in his way now.
Just as the ranged A-ranks prepared to launch another wave of attacks, two more A rank warriors charged at him. But Liam was already moving. The air vibrated with the force of Alad's roar, the very earth trembled in response. A shockwave exploded from Alad's mouth, obliterating the incoming spells and arrows before they even reached their target.
Liam surged forward, his sword raised. In two swift, precise strikes, he cleaved through the two A-ranks with ease, their bodies falling in a spray of blood. He didn't stop. He charged deeper into the fray, his every step a surge of power.
Above him, his father and siblings, along with the remaining nobles, tried to flee the arena. Panic spread among the survivors as the exits were suddenly blocked by massive boulders rising from the ground, trapping them in the arena.
The sound of battle echoed behind them. Liam was cutting through them, one by one. The noble families' last hope was slipping through their fingers.
His father, trying to escape with his family, turned around, only to find Liam standing right behind him. The nobles froze.
Liam's face was unreadable, but his eyes burned with an unyielding fire. He raised his sword. "The ones that die tonight are all of you," he said again, his voice low but filled with certainty.
"Liam, I…" Before his father could finish his sentence, a sword cleaved through his chest.
His father's eyes widened in shock as he looked down, the blood pouring from the wound, staining his clothes. His vision blurred, and his body began to tremble, the weight of life slowly slipping away from him. He collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, his life fading in an agonizing crawl.
Behind him, his brother and sister stood frozen.
His sister, tears streaming down her face, dropped to her knees. "Liam, please! You can't do this!" Her voice cracked with desperation.
Liam's hand trembled as he raised his sword, the weight of his action sinking deep into his soul. He had to do this. He had planned for this moment, every step leading to this. He tried to remember all the pain they had caused, the lives they had taken for sport, the innocents who had suffered. His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. The vengeance surged through him, and he swung down.
But a hand stopped him. His wrist was seized with an iron grip, and he looked to his right in surprise to find Leo standing there, calm as ever.
"That's enough," Leo said, his voice unwavering.
Liam's chest heaved with emotion. "But I have to end it, right here, right now. I can't stop."
"Your father is dead," Leo interrupted gently. "You don't need to do the rest yourself."
Liam's breath hitched. He understood. The battle wasn't about killing them all, it was about stopping them, ending the corruption. He had taken revenge on his father. That was enough.
As his sister and the remaining nobles looked at him, a fleeting glimmer of hope washed over their faces, but it vanished as Leo's voice echoed through the arena.
"Let's go. The debris will do the rest."
In an instant, both Liam and Leo vanished as the golden fragments of Alad's form dissipating into the light. The arena continued to collapse, its stone and earth falling in on itself, burying the rest of the noble families beneath it.
When they reappeared outside, Liam was hit with the sight of the aftermath. Paladins moved quickly, arresting survivors and securing the area. His family mansion, along with two others, had been destroyed in the aftermath, the ruins now nothing more than smoldering rubble. The servants who had worked there stood in shock, dazed and uncertain. Many of the other noble families were being rounded up, their fates sealed. The girl he fought along with other children were also there. Leo brought everyone out.
Liam's heart sank when he heard a woman's voice scream from nearby. "What are you doing? Do you know who I am?!"
Liam turned and saw his mother, struggling against one of the paladins. When her eyes locked on him, a smile of recognition flickered across her face.
"Liam, tell them to free me. Now! You're my son, you can make them stop…" Her voice was desperate, panicked.
Liam's gaze hardened, and without a word, he turned away.
His mother's expression shifted, her smile faltering, replaced by something darker. She narrowed her eyes, realizing the truth. "It was you, wasn't it?" Her voice dropped to a low, venomous hiss. "Damn you. Damn you! You were never my son!"
Her words stabbed into him, but he didn't flinch. She screamed at him, but he didn't look back. Albert, shoved her into the carriage, silencing her with a harsh gesture.
Edmond approached Liam, his expression filled with concern. "Are you okay?"
Liam nodded, his voice tight but steady. "Yes, thank you, Captain."
"Is there anything I can do for you?" Edmond asked, his voice softer now, offering support.
Liam hesitated, considering. His thoughts turned to his brother, Steve. "My brother, Steve… he's innocent. Please, help him."
Edmond gave a reassuring nod. "I'll take care of it."
Liam's gaze shifted to his side, where Leo stood, watching him with a quiet intensity.
"Thank you, Leo," Liam said quietly, gratitude in his voice.
Leo nodded, his expression serious. "Rest, Liam. You've done enough for now. The real plan will begin soon."
Liam's eyes hardened with resolve, but he understood. "I will."
Leo gave him one last look before vanishing, his presence disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.
Liam was left standing, surrounded by the wreckage of his past. The weight of it all pressed down on him, but the path forward was clear now. He would see it through, whatever it took.
…
After helping Liam, Leo did not return right away. Instead, he went to his old home.
He walked through the familiar stairway, each step stirring memories he had buried for years, and stopped in front of the door. Before coming here, he had wrapped himself in layers of spells. They hid his presence completely, ensuring no enemy could sense him, but they also kept his family from knowing he was there.
He was ready to go through the door when the sound of footsteps made him pause.
Behind him, the building's door opened, and Rosie entered the building. As one of the paladins on duty that night, exhaustion weighed on her shoulders. Her movements were slower, her posture heavy, but she still walked with purpose. She stepped up beside Leo, unaware of his presence, and knocked on the door.
A few seconds later, it opened.
Leo saw his mother.
For a moment, emotion surged through him so strongly that the illusion around his body wavered. He almost let it drop. Almost stepped forward. But he stopped himself.
"I'm back," Rosie said.
His mother's face softened at once. "Welcome home, honey. Dinner is ready."
Rosie walked inside, and the door closed behind her.
Leo remained where he was, standing alone in front of the house. He stayed there for a few seconds longer, letting the moment settle, before his form faded and vanished into the night.
…
Leo opened his eyes above his domain. The faint hum of power around him faded as his focus returned to the plan ahead. He pushed aside the ache in his chest. The sooner he ended the threats facing this world, the sooner he could stand before his family without hiding.
The next step waited in the Shadowland. The beast that corrupted it could not be left alive.
He pulled his awareness fully back into the physical world. The empty room came into focus as he rose from the chair and stepped out. His boots echoed softly as he walked down the corridor toward the planning room they had been using since their return.
Arthur and Paul stood inside, deep in discussion. They fell silent the moment Leo entered.
Arthur was the first to speak. "What happened?"
Leo gave a short nod. "It's finished. The remaining noble families have been arrested."
Paul exhaled in relief.
Arthur didn't relax yet. "And Liam?"
"He'll recover," Leo said. "What have you found?"
Arthur rubbed his chin, thinking. "I was going over our chances. When we fought Osara, we had an A5, an A3, and two more A-ranks. Even then, it was the Creator who ended it. This beast is stronger than Osara, but our side has changed."
He paused, then listed them out. "Three S1. One A5. One A3. One A2, one A1 who's close to breaking through and one A rank."
Leo listened without interrupting. Arthur continued, his voice steady. "If we strike cleanly, I don't think it will overwhelm us."
Leo nodded once. "Killing this beast marks the beginning. Once it falls, everything moves forward."
He took a slow breath. "The war of gods won't stay distant much longer."
Silence settled in the room.
Leo straightened. "Gather everyone. We move tonight."
Arthur and Paul exchanged a look, then nodded. The time for preparation was over.
…
An hour later, the group stood ready. After leaving the city under Alina's control and placing the remaining defenses in trusted hands, they began their march toward the depths of the Shadowland. Even with the teleport anchors they had prepared in advance, the journey took two full days. The land grew darker with every step, the air heavier, as if the ground itself resisted their presence.
When they reached the edge of the corrupted zone, they climbed the mountain overlooking it. The ascent was slow and tense. No one spoke. When they finally reached the peak, the reason for the silence became clear.
The beast came into view.
Its body was massive, grotesque beyond reason, suspended in the air by ten enormous legs that bent and shifted like living pillars. Thousands of eyes covered its main body, blinking and rolling in different directions, each one alive and aware. Thick tentacles writhed across its top and underside, twisting and snapping through the air. Beneath it, swollen masses of flesh pulsed unnaturally. Every few seconds, chunks of meat dropped to the ground, hit with a wet sound, and reshaped themselves into crawling monsters.
The sight alone carried pressure. Mana warped around the creature, thick and unstable.
Leo didn't hesitate.
"Arthur, Paul," he said, his voice sharp and steady. "Get into position and prepare to attack from above. The rest of you, stay with me."
He stepped forward and rushed down the mountain, the others moving immediately behind him.
Their next battle had begun.