NOVEL NEXT Chapter 365: New Findings
She said "Good" with a visibly relieved look on her face.
I don't want to fight this human. He's far too strong and would be a valuable addition to our army instead of an enemy.
She was already calculating. He was likely stranded here through the portal. If that was the case, he would eventually have to fight alongside them whether he wanted to or not.
We need every warrior we can get. Especially ones this powerful.
Then she turned and spoke firmly to the Vice Chief—her brother-in-law—looking sternly at him with clear disapproval and authority in her gaze.
If I hadn't intervened, this powerful human could have destroyed everything. I'll have to punish him no matter who he is to me.
She knew it would be hard for him to accept punishment right now, given his pride and position, and most importantly, how badly he was dealing with her loss.
But that wouldn't make her go easy on him for such a catastrophically huge mistake. He had to move on soon; every day their people die, he can't be stuck in loss. She knows how he feels, but they have to deal with the reality.
He nearly jeopardized the safety of our last remaining clan. That's unforgivable, family or not.
As she began speaking and flying upward toward the sky high above the arena, Leon noticed something massive blocking out the sun—a huge shape in red and yellow colors covering the entire open-topped arena from above.
What is that? It's enormous.
But then Leon felt it moving. With a tremendous gust of wind that shook the entire structure, the shape flew higher into the sky.
WHOOOOOOSH! FLAP!
This revealed a truly giant flying creature beneath—it was impossibly large and utterly majestic in appearance. It looked somewhat similar to a falcon in basic structure, but was covered in brilliant red and yellow plumage that seemed to shimmer with inner fire.
I can't believe my eyes. That thing is so big and... beautiful. And definitely not weak at all.
They flew close to the majestic creature and landed gracefully on top of its massive back, which was easily the size of a large building. Leon stood there along with the mysterious woman and the same man, whom he still didn't like even a single bit.
I don't care if we're talking now. I still hate this bastard.
Suddenly, all three of them turned simultaneously to look toward the side and down.
It was Crimson—flying desperately toward them on herself, fighting against the absolutely huge, thunderous wind pressure generated by each powerful flap of the majestic creature's enormous wings.
WHOOOOSH! STRUGGLE!
She's having trouble. That wind is too much for her.
Leon, noticing her struggling immediately, quickly activated his Holy energy enhancement again. Then he launched himself over to her position and carefully guided her back to their location by carrying her securely in his arms.
WHOOSH! CATCH!
Her skin smelled faintly of scorched flowers and sweat—fresh from the battle.
As he gently set her down on the stable back of the giant creature, she seemed slightly startled by the sudden assistance but didn't appear to mind at all how he'd carried her there.
Leon had done that because he could clearly see she was genuinely struggling to ascend due to the overwhelming wind pressure. He also felt instinctively that she would have gotten into serious trouble for even attempting to come up here, considering she was definitely far below these two in both raw strength and official authority.
She shouldn't even be here. But she came anyway.
The hateful man and the Archon leader were both watching this interaction unfold with different expressions.
Some tactical ideas were forming in the Archon woman's calculating mind as she observed their dynamic.
Interesting. Very interesting indeed.
Meanwhile, the Vice Chief seemed visibly displeased with the friendly exchange, his jaw tightening.
Too close. I don't like this.
As the massive creature finally took off properly, heading somewhere with powerful wing strokes, the very first thing Crimson did was frantically start touching all over Leon's body—checking his arms, his chest, his sides.
TOUCH! PAT! EXAMINE!
Her fingers pressed lightly over where once old wounds were, but he felt no pain. Only her warmth.
In Crimson's worried mind, she had witnessed him sustain far too many life-threatening injuries during the brutal fight. She desperately wanted to confirm with her own hands that he was genuinely alright now.
Did he really recover completely from those wounds? I saw bones broken, organs damaged, and part of the body destroyed. How is that possible?
It was regeneration on a scale she had never witnessed before in her entire life. She needed to verify it herself, to believe it was real.
Leon, seeing and understanding exactly what she was doing through her concerned expression and methodical checking, allowed her to continue while smiling slightly.
She cares so much. That's... nice, actually.
She was a complete stranger, but Leon was starting to like her.
However, after she finished her thorough examination and seemed satisfied he was truly healed, she quickly walked up to the same man Leon still harbored deep hatred for.
They immediately began talking rapidly in their own harsh language, which Leon couldn't understand at all.
"Vel'kresh mandor sikara tor! Kala vel MANDOR sikth!" Crimson said angrily, gesturing sharply.
[You shouldn't have stubbornly decided on that stupid trial! Father, you nearly caused a disaster, and if something happened to him, I would have never forgiven you.]
"Ira, vel kresh—" the Vice Chief began defensively.
[Ira, I was only—]
"TOR KALA VEL! Mandor sikara kresh vel'thor sikth mandor!" she interrupted, her voice rising.
[NO! This could have destroyed everything! You risked our entire future and the past!]
The man went silent after those words and could only hear her complain with his head low.
Leon didn't understand the actual words, but he could definitely tell from her sharp tone and aggressive body language that she was genuinely angry with the man.
She's chewing him out. Good.
But this time, surprisingly, the same man who had behaved so authoritatively and dominantly before seemed genuinely tame and submissive—like a scolded child rather than a powerful leader.
He's... he's actually taking it? From her?
One thing Leon now understood with certainty: Crimson and this man definitely had some kind of close familial relation.
Family, or could be something else, but that explains the familiarity.
Because when he'd seen her struggling to reach the creature's back, Leon had realized she wasn't nearly as strong as her earlier display had suggested. She was an Ascendant rank—powerful by normal standards, but nowhere near these two.
So how did she withstand that pressure before, when I collapsed on the ground?
He was genuinely confused about how she seemed to blow away his earlier assessment of her power. When the hateful man had released his aura and forced him to the ground, Crimson had remained standing.
But it seems now, looking back... she simply wasn't targeted by that oppressive force. She was excluded deliberately.
It was becoming clearer to Leon that there had likely been significant misunderstandings due to the complete language barrier between them.
Communication is everything. Without it, everything goes wrong.
But Leon remained unconvinced about the "misunderstanding" explanation, because Crimson had very clearly communicated through gestures that he would die if he lost the fight.
That throat-cutting gesture was universal. That much I'm certain of.
Crimson finished her scolding and walked back toward Leon. He immediately tried communicating with her through hand signals, asking what she had just discussed with the Vice Chief.
What did you say? What did he say? Tell me!
However, before she could attempt any response, the giant creature suddenly descended and landed somewhere.
WHOOSH! THUD!
Leon heard the other woman's commanding voice—the Archon. Now that he looked at her more carefully and closely, she appeared quite similar to Crimson in facial features. Not identical, but definitely related.
Sisters? Cousins?
Was that the reason the man was so cautious not to target her with his Aura before?
It all makes sense to Leon now.