Euripython Belt Station
Euripython solar system
Euripython Star sector
Euripython Galaxy
21st Krios cycle, Solaris Prime
Rex sat in the shuttle, eyes fixed on the battle below, but his attention drifted occasionally to his fellow comrades as they observed Leon's display of power. The intensity of the fight below was palpable, but it was Leon's control over the situation that seemed to captivate them most. Vaeron Sorr, her brows furrowed in disbelief, was the first to speak.
"How the hell is his mana manipulation so perfect?" she asked, her voice tinged with awe and confusion.
Iliya, ever the keen observer, nodded thoughtfully. "He seems to be an Expert-level manipulator," she said, her eyes tracking Leon's every movement. "For someone so young, and who just recently entered the Harmonization stage, it's too soon for him to be able to use Mana folding."
"That's probably because he learned how to use it as an Awakened," Vaeron offered, her tone more speculative now.
"What! Really?" Iliya's voice rose with surprise.
"It's the only thing that makes sense," Vaeron responded, her gaze still locked on the fight below. Behind them, Meri yawned softly, checking her zodiac like she was growing tired of the waiting.
"Leon should hurry up," she muttered, her voice barely more than a whisper of impatience.
As Abaris was cleaved apart with brutal ease, Erwyn's heart sank. He had not expected the mercenary to fall so swiftly, let alone without revealing his full power. Leon had outclassed him effortlessly, relying on nothing more than raw combat skill. Despite the defeat, Erwyn felt a dark sense of satisfaction. His observer had captured every detail of the fight, especially the devastating Sword art that had brought Abaris down. Erwyn intended to study it, break it down, and perhaps even use it to his advantage later.
Leon, however, was not distracted. He felt the observer's presence watching him from afar, its gaze unwavering. Erwyn had likely noticed the surveillance, but his greed for the technique—a signature move from a famed Family—kept him rooted to his spot. Leon's focus sharpened as he took a single step, appearing above Erwyn in an instant, Solus dancing in his hand like a predator eager for the kill. The blade shimmered, ready to strike down, but before Leon could react, a flash of Amethyst light exploded from beneath him. Erwyn was gone.
A pillar of violet light erupted from the spot where the pod and tower had once been, and in the blink of an eye, both were gone. All that remained was the barren mountain where the tower had stood. Leon landed gracefully, his gaze scanning the empty space, understanding what had just transpired.
"Pathetic," a voice drawled, laced with disdain. "You let the enemy get away."
Leon's eyes narrowed. He recognized the voice immediately—though it wasn't from any human. He turned to the ground beneath him, where his shadow stretched long and twisted unnaturally, its edges glowing faintly red. From within the shadow, two piercing eyes glowed, fixing him with an unwavering gaze. The shadow entity that had once lived within his soul realm. The one that had kept him alive during his illness, and the one that had grown stronger after he bonded with the Twilight Crown.
Since Leon's ascension into Demigodhood, the Shadow entity had only grown more powerful, to the point where it had taken complete control of the shadow Leon projected. During his time in seclusion, the Shadow had grown silent, but now, it had returned, its voice sharp and accusatory.
"Who says I let him get away?" Leon replied, his tone flat, unbothered. He glanced down at the shadow, his expression unreadable.
"Ignis," he called out, his voice steady. From deep within his Ethereal gland, the divine phoenix, Ignis Solaris, soared forth from his soul realm. The great bird's wings unfurled, and its massive 16-foot body curled protectively around Leon. The radiant light of its feathers shimmered in the dim air, casting an ethereal glow around them both.
"Did you leave the feather like I said?" Leon asked, his voice calm, his eyes never leaving the shadow beneath him.
"Yes, Master," Ignis responded, its voice echoing softly, like a celestial hum.
"Good," Leon said, his gaze returning to the spot where Erwyn had vanished. The weight of his words hung in the air, and though the battle was over, Leon knew the game had just begun.
****
Zidueana Corporation
Alpha Quadrant
Euripython Belt Station
Euripython solar system
Euripython Star sector
Euripython Galaxy
21st Krios cycle, Solaris prime Solaris Prime
Inside what appeared to be a vast hangar, the hum of industrial machinery filled the air as massive ships were stored in the cavernous space. A large, sleek structure emerged, floating steadily in the center of the room. On top of this structure, secured within a pod, was Erwyn. He was breathing heavily, his body still tense from the close brush with death. The reality of how narrowly he had escaped made his heart race. If his emergency teleportation feature hadn't activated at the exact moment, if his instinctive reaction hadn't kicked in, his head would have been severed by Leon's blade. The thought made his blood boil.
Erwyn's gaze drifted to the hard drive embedded within his pod. He knew the information he'd painstakingly collected was stored there. With a quick, almost possessive movement, he accessed the data and confirmed his suspicions—everything was intact. His pod slowly moved away from the tower, leaving behind the containment vessel where his puppet army had been housed. His army, now decimated, reduced to nothing more than shattered remnants of his hard work.
The anger inside him surged, a bitter tide that churned deep within his chest. The effort he had put into cultivating those soldiers—the resources, the sacrifices—it had all been obliterated in the blink of an eye. He had poured countless resources into the creation of his army, resources that had been painstakingly gathered over time, and he doubted whether the family would provide him with the means to rebuild. The frustration and fury clawed at his insides.
As his pod flew through the expansive hangar, workers from the Zidueana Corporation cast wary glances at him. They knew better than to draw attention to themselves; the last thing they wanted was to incur the wrath of Erwyn. They quickly returned to their work, avoiding eye contact and doing their best to remain out of his path. Erwyn, for his part, gave them no more than a passing glance, his mind consumed with thoughts of revenge and what he had lost.
The pod continued its journey, guiding him to the Craftlab that had been reserved exclusively for him. When he arrived, the door slid open, and there, standing just inside, was Tesoe Zidueana. His gaze flickered momentarily toward Erwyn's flying pod before narrowing, noting the frantic, disheveled appearance of the man.
"Where have you been?" Tesoe asked, his voice low, yet tinged with curiosity.
"Confronting the target," Erwyn replied tersely, stepping into the lab. The space inside was a testament to his obsessive work. Huge containers lined the walls, filled with growing bodies—each one a potential soldier, a new pawn in his expanding army. Shelves lined with half-completed magitech devices, intricate tools, and machines hummed softly in the background. The pod that had carried him now transformed seamlessly into a chair, its mechanical components folding into place as Erwyn settled down, returning to his work as if nothing had happened. His thoughts, however, were far from calm.
Tesoe moved around the lab, his eyes gliding over the various projects, his expression unreadable as he observed Erwyn's actions. It wasn't long before he spoke again, his voice carrying the weight of the unspoken questions between them. "It looks like things didn't go as planned," Tesoe mused, his tone laced with a quiet understanding.
Erwyn didn't respond immediately, his hands busy as he began accessing various devices and checking the status of his magitech creations. The lab was a sanctuary for his work, and despite the crushing defeat he had just suffered, his focus remained unshaken. For now, the loss of his army was a setback—a temporary failure. He would rebuild. He had to.
"Where is Abaris?" Tesoe asked, his voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of concern.
"Dead," Erwyn replied, his tone flat. "Leon Haravok killed him."
Tesoe's expression tightened, his eyes narrowing as he absorbed the information. "I told you not to underestimate him," he said, a weary sigh escaping his lips. His disappointment was palpable, and he wasn't pleased to see his cousin's arrogance blow up in his face. "If the Adurnial family wants him dead, they should handle it themselves. We, of the Zidueana family, want nothing to do with this."
Erwyn's jaw clenched, his anger rising as he felt the sting of his cousin's words. "Haravok is a threat. I had to take him out," he snapped, his frustration bubbling to the surface.
"And now he's destroyed your little army, and Abaris is dead," Tesoe countered, his voice calm but heavy with disdain.
Erwyn's eyes flared, his anger refusing to subside. "What! Are you afraid of just one boy?" The words came out sharp, his voice trembling with frustration. He couldn't believe he was being chastised by Tesoe, of all people.
"A boy with the power to destroy our family," Tesoe said quietly, his tone colder now. "You don't know Leon Haravok, but I do."
Erwyn froze, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "What?" he whispered, his mind struggling to process Tesoe's words.
"I was in my final year when he first arrived at the Academy," Tesoe continued, his voice distant, as if recalling a memory that left an old wound. He almost seemed to hesitate, a shadow crossing his face before he shook it off. "I had an... encounter with him. Let's just say it didn't end well."
Erwyn remained silent, still processing what Tesoe had said, but the words didn't sink in. Tesoe's expression darkened, his gaze turning to something distant as he closed the conversation.
"Just stay away from anything related to the assassination of Haravok," Tesoe instructed, his tone firm. "I'll speak with Father and see if we can clean up your mess." Without another word, Tesoe turned and walked away, leaving Erwyn seething in frustration.
****
"Are you a crafter too, Leon?" Iliya's voice broke through the silence as Leon's fingers tapped rapidly across a keyboard, accessing the various diagnostic tools on the Zodiak monitor in front of him.
They had just arrived at Meri's Mercenary Division building, and Leon's first request was for access to a Craftlab—a space Effie had led him to, where the bodies of the puppet army he had just dismantled were now laid out across tables, awaiting examination. Leon's eyes were fixed on the holographic scans of the corpses, studying their intricate structure with a keen eye.
"I dabbled a little with Craftsmith back at the Academy," Leon replied casually, not taking his eyes off the screen. "I learned the basics, same with Magic."
"Wait, you practice Arcane art, too?" Vaeron asked, her voice filled with surprise. "That's a lot. Just practicing Mystic art takes a lot of effort, but cultivating two paths at once? That's something else."
Leon chuckled, his fingers pausing briefly as he considered his response. "I'm not much of a Mage," he said with a shrug. "I only learned Tier One and Two spells before I gave up on it. Like you said, cultivating two paths takes a lot of time and effort. It just wasn't for me, especially when my body wasn't up to it."
Vaeron's eyebrows raised, a flicker of understanding passing through her gaze. "So you just focused on Mystic arts?"
"Exactly," Leon said, his smile widening slightly as he returned to his work. "I learned enough to get by, but it was always about controlling the body and soul. The rest just didn't seem as necessary."
Leon's attention drifted back to the holographic displays, the soft hum of the Craftlab filling the air as his mind spun with thoughts. The intricate patterns and glowing lines on the screen held his focus, but it was the path ahead that occupied his mind more. Despite all the attempts he had made to master multiple disciplines in the past, it had become clear that his true calling lay in the mastery of Mystic arts. The control they gave him over his power was unparalleled, an elegant weapon that allowed him to shape his energy with precision.
But that didn't mean he was closed off to the idea of resuming his Magic training. To surpass his enemies, to reach a level that not only outmatched but transcended them, Leon knew that mastering both paths of cultivation—Mystic and Arcane—would serve him well in the long run. The ability to integrate both sides of his power would create a seamless path, one that would take him beyond the reach of any foe.
A soft ping interrupted his thoughts, the diagnostic scan he had been running finally complete. The information he sought was now laid out in front of him. As he absorbed the data, a small part of him wished Ginny were there—her expertise would have made this process faster. But Leon wasn't in a rush. He had time.
"So, it looks like we're dealing with a Homunculus," Leon murmured, scanning the results. His voice was calm, though the weight of the discovery settled in his chest.
"Homunculus?" Rex echoed, surprised. "But I thought the Federation shut down such projects a long time ago."
"They did," Syra Vael replied, her tone thoughtful. "Centuries ago, a group of scientists tried an experiment to see if they could create life from nothing. The result was the creation of monsters—homunculi—that rebelled against their creators. That's when the Church stepped in. They forbade the project and banned all forms of genetic engineering within the Divine Federation. The Inquisitors hunted down the scientists involved and destroyed any trace of their work."
"Looks like they didn't destroy everything," Leon said, his voice quieter now, his thoughts turning inward. His mind wandered to the research facility he had once investigated on Terra, a place linked to the Divine Federation. Leon and Emily had believed it was connected to Sector Zero, a hidden branch conducting human experiments. But what if there was more to it—something deeper? The thought intrigued him, and now, more than ever, he wanted to unravel the truth behind the creation of these beings.
"It doesn't look like it was successful," Effie chimed in. She was well-versed in Arcane science, and though she didn't know much about the Homunculus project specifically, she had a basic understanding. "According to the scan, and from what we saw in the battle, these Homunculi were essentially empty beings. They lacked sentience, no consciousness, no soul—just empty vessels controlled by someone else."
Leon nodded, his brow furrowing as he processed this new information. "It seems like the enemy implanted some sort of microchips in their undeveloped brains, using them to transmit Odic force and control them with their mind," he mused, his thoughts shifting toward Erwyn. The escapee from their earlier confrontation was no doubt the mastermind behind these puppets, orchestrating their every move from the shadows.
Turning to Effie, Leon asked, "How long until Meri's meeting with the Zima gang?"
"Three days from now," Effie replied, raising an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"
"Because I intend to go to Delacroix's territory," Leon said, standing up from the chair with a decisive stretch. The time for idle speculation was over. He had a goal, and Erwyn was only a part of the larger puzzle. "That's the reason I'm here."
He paused, his gaze flicking over to the others as they began discussing their plans for the coming days, but Leon's mind was already elsewhere. He was focused on what came next. "I'm going to sleep," he announced, stifling a yawn as he turned to leave the room.
As he walked away, his thoughts swirled. The next steps would require careful planning and patience. Leon knew he had a lot of ground to cover, but for now, rest was what he needed most.