When Erza's eyes hovered over the two envoys, Leo suddenly felt that he was being stared at. Turning to look at her, he had a kind smile on his face as usual, "Erna, come here and let's have a talk, shall we?"
Although being a hundred meters apart and a noisy crowd divided the two, his voice could still be heard loud and clear as if amplified by some unknown mean so that it felt as if the two were talking right next to each other.
Leo's voice had suddenly attracted the attention of everyone else in Caesar's company who immediately turned to look at the two black robed envoys. However, their own strengths were not enough to perceive anything out of the ordinary from the envoys strength. So very soon, they had lost interest for the two envoys and turned their attention somewhere else.
At the request of a Peak King Realm expert like Leo, Erza did not dare to refuse. Bidding goodbye to Caesar, she immediately headed for the envoys position.
"Erna? Hm…". Seeing Erza walked by, the white haired elder's eyebrows furrowed together as he sounded out Erza's name, before his eyes suddenly took on an astonished glint as he stared at her.
Seeing how the elder was standing perplexed now, the cyan robed elder to his side whispered to him, "Elder Mohe, what's wrong?"
The white haired elder continued to stare at Erza's retreating back, whispering so that Erza could not hear, he said, "I've heard the name of Erna before, isn't that the same name as the person who destroyed the Collin and Naga Clans?"
The cyan robed elder startled when he heard that. Immediately, his eyes flew over to Erza's back and sucked in a deep breath of air.
"Elder Mohe, I had completely forgotten about the matter until you mentioned it. According to the guards who had fled from the Naga Clan, the one who eradicated the Collin Clan and single handedly killed the old patriarch of Naga Clan was a twenty year old girl who apparently had an average look. The girl who just walked by us seems to be a good fit. Take another look, this has to be the very same Erna who destroyed both clans!"
The two elders continued to talk gently, but with everyone standing next to each other and having a strong sense of hearing, they had naturally heard the words being spoken.
"What? The youth that was just standing here was that Erna? She's…so young though, how could she be so strong? Just how many youths have you seen wield so much power?" A man spoke in awe.
"Right, she truly is so young and yet so unique."
After the incidents involving the fall of three Mid Kings, everyone was painfully aware of the name Erna. However with the incoming invasion of the wild beasts, everyone had placed the wave in the front of their minds and had forgotten about the incidents.
This was a point of life or death for them, and so the deaths of the Abraham, Edward, and Naga Clan's old patriarch were not worth a higher priority and quickly receded into obscurity. Erza's name was no longer mentioned either and did not come to mind as quickly.
"This can't be said for sure." A tall man sneered with some contempt, "Those were nothing more than rumours, and none of us had seen the matter for ourselves personally. But to me, I'm sure those rumours are only partial truths and were greatly exaggerated. Just look how young she is, she can't be older than twenty. How can someone so young practice to such a powerful level? Did she begin practicing when she was in her mother's womb? We can't say for certain whether the destruction of the Collin Clan was done by one person or with the help of a few others."
The others began to nod their heads, what this man had said had a great deal of logic behind it. Rumours were rumours after all; each one of them had weathered many storms and listened to many rumours, but only a small part of them were true while the vast majority were half truths or not even truths at all.
Hearing the group trying to guess at the real truth, Caesar revealed a knowing smile on his face yet at the same time, his body could not help but shake and tremble for a moment. He could only lament over the fact that he too was not aware of Erza's true strength, but he did know from the event involving him and the envoys in the garden not too long ago that Erza was not a pushover even when pitted against a Peak King Realm expert. This was not something that Caesar was willing to share with the group.
Erza arrived at where the envoys stood with a smile, "Whether or not Mirage City can be successfully defended depends on senior envoys."
Leo could only laugh as he looked at Erza with an amicable smile, it was this smile that made everyone want to be good friends with him.
"Erna, since I'm older than you, might I call you junior Erna, or is that too much?" Leo asked casually.
"Sure, no problem at all." Erza replied with a smile. Even though Leo was smiling at her with such a kind look, she was still on guard. After all, she had no idea what was truly behind that smile.
Leo looked at Erza closely then said, "Junior Erna, although my brother and I are both Peak Kings, the strength of a Peak Level Beast King is still something that can go against our expectations. Even if the two of us were to join hands to kill the beast, it would still be a difficult task. Therefore, I hope that junior can lend us a hand if the time arises."
With a self deprecating smile, Erza replied "Senior envoy, you must be joking. I've only the strength of a Mid King, how would I fight against a Peak Level Beast King? Doing so would be the same as throwing my life away."
Even though she said that, deep inside Erza's heart she was eager to fight against a Peak Level Beast King. However, at the same time she knew that her strength was not sufficient to fight against the beast. Moreover, she was sure that as soon as she took out her Heavenly Flame Sword or used her Eyes of Chronos, her cover would be blown and they would realize who she really was.
If that happened, Erza would find herself in endless troubles. A 14 years old girl having the strength of a Mid King? Already starting to build her own faction at such a young age? There was no need to mention about the possible assassination from both gods and demons, even some people in Black Snow Empire would be after her life. Furthermore, her loved ones might also be implicated in the process.
She would rather flee from the city than trying to become a hero. None of the people around her was worthy for her to risk her future.
"Junior, you truly are modest. In the garden you had displayed such an explosive amount of power that frightened even my brother and me. If junior is to use that same power, then I am sure that the Peak Level Beast King will fall to your hands." Leo said.
Erza had a bitter smile on her face, "Senior envoys, that power isn't something that I can control. Nonetheless, this one will strive hard to defend Mirage City against the beast wave."
"Haha, as long as you truly mean those words, then my heart will be at ease." Leo spoke with some relief.
Taking note of the change in his tone, Erza asked, "Senior envoys, with you two here, this beast wave will be no problem, correct?"
Hearing that, Leo could only sigh, "True, before, I didn't even bother to think the Peak Level Beast King to be my enemy. But now that I am standing here, I don't dare belittle it."
Erza's expression changed, "Could it be that the Peak Level Beast King will be hard to deal with even if both seniors joined together?" She asked with surprise.
"Correct!" Leo's smile suddenly disappeared without a trace as it grew unnaturally serious. "When my brother and I were standing here, we both detected a presence so strong that it could suppress even the both of us!"
Leo's words had been like a clap of thunder in Erza's ears. She could not help but be utterly surprised. "How is that possible? A Peak Level Beast King with a presence so strong that it could suppress both seniors? Just how strong is that beast?"
Leo smiled bitterly, "Junior Erna, it seems to me that you don't know how Peak King Realm experts are classified, allow me to explain it to you."
He paused for a moment to draw breath before continuing, "Apprentices, Knights, and Kings are all split into four stages. As you already know, those four are the Early, Middle, Late, and Peak stages. However, there is a big gap between the Peak King Realm and the Early Emperor Realm."
"That gap is big enough to be further divided into several layers. We call that the three cycles. The first cycle is the weakest and the third cycle is the strongest."
"My brother Leon and I are only at the first cycle. As for the hidden Peak Level Beast King, I suspect it is at the second cycle in terms of strength at the very least. It's even possible that it is at the third cycle, where it is many times stronger than my brother and I combined."
Erza's face grew deathly serious as she listened to Leo's explanation. When Leo had said that Peak King Realm experts were divided into different levels of strength, she could not help but wonder how strong the Peak Level Beast King that was found in the forest was.