A giant orange ball of fire, scorching for sure, appeared out of thin air. Two of them conjured it: the summoner and the three-headed dog. The intensity spread, creating a heatwave in the forest surrounding the town.
The cool and fresh breeze had vanished, and humidity rose. Watching the ball, akin to a small star, Leonard could only swallow as he spread his senses throughout his body. What he had learned from a week of training with
was how to focus all of his energy into one muscle group.That giant ball of fire was definitely aimed at him. He had to dodge, and precise timing would be his only weapon.
His vision had sharpened as well, a temporary effect of
.The summoner had lost control. His anger had consumed him. Well, who wouldn't? Leonard had pushed his patience to the limit, provoking him at every turn, especially with the Black Box incident. He had noticed his opponent's gaze—proud and full of underestimation.
Despite the danger, Leonard wasn't rattled. In fact, he was pleased with how things had escalated. This was exactly what he wanted.
The ball of fire fully materialized, now the size of a normal house, radiating heat that felt like a storm. The previously cold wind became a searing sensation on the skin. Even the battle at the town plaza paused, disturbed by the overwhelming presence of the fireball.
'Can't hit me if you can't see me.'
Just as the fireball was released, Leonard had already taken a stance, with one leg behind, gathering all his strength from his feet and channeling it into his calf.
Boom!
The ball struck the ground with a massive impact, unleashing heat waves, vibrations, and a blinding light. It continued to expand, slowly consuming the town, but midway, it suddenly reversed, condensing into a small point before vanishing.
It was like witnessing an explosion in reverse, yet the destruction had already begun. A massive crater had formed at the entrance, stretching slightly into the town's plaza.
By this time, Leonard had already escaped, rolling far behind the summoner. He bumped into trees several times but managed to sustain only minimal injuries by redistributing his weight.
It had all happened so fast that his eyes struggled to keep up. But he was certain it had been a success, with only minor flaws.
He had expected an explosion, but as he turned back to face the caster after a moment of eerie silence, he saw two huge men clasping their hands as if they had caught something. They stood in the center of where the fireball had been aimed—right at his previous spot.
Leonard's eyes widened as he grasped what had just happened. Right... he had expected an explosion, but not that his opponent could unleash such power! To make matters worse, other individuals had appeared, escalating the situation further. Those two men had stopped the ball of fire, their hands showing no signs of pain or burns.
What just happened?
Of course, Leonard wasn't only thinking about himself. His eyes darted to check on the townsfolk and his party. Fortunately, they were safe. Yuna, on the other hand, was being protected by someone cloaked in black.
'What's with them and cloaks?' Leonard thought, briefly distracted by the oddity.
He quickly refocused on the crater left behind by the fireball and huffed in relief. Had he been there, he'd have been toasted—reduced to ashes.
'If not for
's gift, I'd be dead by now.'Even though it was a reckless gamble, he was still satisfied. Adrenaline had pushed him beyond his limits, enabling him to redistribute and concentrate his force into one part.
'By this point, I might be turning into a battle junkie. The thrill wasn't a joke.'
***
Minutes before the impact, Lady Knight and the twin warriors finally tracked down the final location of their Lady. Even though it was good news, the situation was dire. As soon as they arrived, they saw the threat surrounding their young Lady.
From a distance, a young man had drawn the attention of the kidnapper. Narrowing their eyes, they recognized who he was—the second Dark Summoner, eldest son of the Dark Summoner and enemy of the Dhampir Family. A hiss escaped their lips as they blurred into motion, dashing toward their Lady's location.
When they arrived, the stark contrast between the intensities of the magical essences was unmistakable. By the young man's side, who was provoking the second Dark Summoner as he conjured a huge fireball, there was a positive magical essence. Meanwhile, the side where their unconscious Lady lay, guarded by a golem, was saturated with negative energy.
Their young Lady's magical essence was unique, her emotions recorded whenever it leaked. At that moment, she seemed to be struggling to suppress her magical essence. Though not safe, at least they had found her.
Recognizing the young man's efforts, they decided to help him. When he dodged the direct hit, there was no way he could contain or stop the destructive force that threatened everything around.
With combined power, Mark and Luigi moved with lightning speed, their motions so fast it seemed as though countless hands appeared. Their blurred movements gradually consumed the explosive energy of the giant fireball, which radiated like a small star.
Absorbing the energy of the explosion, their faces twisted in strain. The task wasn't easy, but they managed it, and a second later, the disaster threatening the town had disappeared.
They all caught their breath. So far, they had succeeded, but they weren't in a place to relax just yet. The second Dark Summoner was out of control, and that giant fireball was only a glimpse of his power.
However, to their surprise, the second Dark Summoner fell silent. His once lifeless yet stern expression became indifferent as he vanished, his summons turning to dust. This could only mean one thing: those summons had died. But how? Had the summoner done it himself? If so, why would he?
With their questions still unanswered, the two polar-opposite brothers turned to face Leonard, gratitude evident in their eyes, after confirming the second Dark Summoner had disappeared. They didn't bother chasing him—it wasn't their mission. Their priority was saving their young Lady.
As they stood before Leonard, they realized they still knew little about him, only having received his name.
This encounter wasn't a simple one. They had sensed something familiar in Leonard, something they couldn't ignore. Despite his unremarkable build, they had seen him move earlier—dashing in the blink of an eye. That wasn't a feat a normal human could achieve.
There was only one conclusion: Leonard was a Player.