"Hilbert... what are you planning?!"
Watching that fading back, for the first time in his life, Leonardo felt a chill that came from deep within.
The elder of the new era showed a faint, bitter smile.
He let out a long sigh and stood up slowly with support from the desk.
"Forget it. We're just remnants of the old era. Why think so much?"
"Like you said, how can old guys like us let the young ones do all the fighting?"
Leonardo Flammel's figure suddenly vanished.
Like an arrow shot from a fully drawn bow, he dashed into the rain.
"You old bastard, wait for me!"
The tip of Gungnir tilted and pressed against the neck of the long-haired youth.
Not long ago, Finger had made a flashy entrance, stunning the students.
But in just thirty seconds, the so-called "Flame Dragon Slayer" had been pinned to the ground and beaten until he turned into "Crispy Chicken."
It was a one-sided beatdown.
Even though Finger had shown the power of his A-rank bloodline, it meant nothing in front of a true god.
One moment he was bold and fearless, the next he was getting smacked around like a ragdoll.
Until the thunder flooded the shores of Iron Forest Lake—leaving Finger nowhere to run—he was struck down and fried like crispy chicken.
From high above, Odin looked down. His golden eyes shone with a blazing brilliance, cold and proud. He sneered at the young man half-kneeling below.
"This is the best student Cassell College can produce?"
"Hah! Beating me makes you that proud?"
Even though Finger looked like a total wreck—his whole body charred black by lightning—he still clung to his stubborn pride.
He mocked, "I'm ranked near the bottom of the whole academy! There are tons of guys stronger than me, so what the hell are you showing off for?!"
"Tch. Already roasted like a turkey and still mouthing off?"
Pompeii frowned slightly. He knew the guy was just bluffing, but he still couldn't stop the anger bubbling up inside.
"Hmph, got a sharp tongue, huh? Then I'll give you what you want!"
Flames roared to life around him. The pressure he unleashed came crashing down like a tidal wave.
In an instant, the blue bricks beneath his feet shattered into pieces.
Ever since he advanced to Sequence 4, his will could control the weather. The range wasn't large, but it carried the might of nature itself!
Rumble—
Thunder roared louder across the sky, so wild it seemed to tear through the clouds. It was like the end of the world had arrived.
The heavens roared, lightning flashing across the sky!
Pompeii gripped Gungnir tightly. With a sharp thrust, he drove it straight toward Fingal.
As the spear tip grew closer and clearer in his eyes, Fingal's heart finally calmed.
He slowly closed his eyes and waited for death to come.
"Sorry, my girl."
He whispered softly, "I can't make it back this time... Maybe I should've died long ago, in that frozen sea."
"Kid, don't give up so soon!"
A voice rang out just then.
An invisible domain suddenly expanded, covering everything around them.
Howling winds, pouring rain, even the thunder blazing from Gungnir—everything slowed down, as if time itself had been stretched.
The spear spun forward, dragging spiral currents. The lightning it released carved bright, sharp arcs through the air, like intertwining branches.
It all reflected in Fingal's eyes, growing larger and larger.
"This... is Time Zero?!"
Pompeii's eyes flared with fire. In that instant, he knew who had come.
The next moment, an elderly man stepped forward through the falling rain.
He wore a neatly pressed suit, silver-white hair slicked back, a weathered but unshaken face.
His blade danced through the air with practiced grace, slicing through raindrops one by one.
A flash of cold steel cut straight toward Pompeii's heart.
"Heh, old friend, I've been waiting for you!"
Pompeii didn't flinch. He stomped lightly, and from beneath the broken stone erupted a surge of molten lava.
Thousands of degrees in heat, the lava formed a blazing shield.
It forced Hilbert to abandon his strike.
Instead, he grabbed Fingal by the collar and retreated from the growing sea of fire.
"Old friend, it's been so long. Why don't you stay and chat?"
Pompeii's eyes flickered with murderous intent as the gunshot echoed, and the weapon shot out like an arrow, chasing relentlessly.
Time Zero. It failed?!
As the Gungnir, moving like a dragon through the air, closed in on him, Hilbert's forehead beaded with cold sweat. In a panic, he drew his folding knife to intercept.
Boom!
The moment they clashed, the terrifying force caused Hilbert's arm to go numb, and his palm was torn open.
The spear's power was immense, and it did not slow down. It continued charging forward, closing the gap quickly.
Just as it seemed the spear would pierce Hilbert's body, Leonardo finally arrived on the battlefield. Despite his seemingly elderly appearance, the old man unleashed a shocking power.
His dragon blood boiled, muscles bulging and tightening. In an instant, the frail old man transformed into a towering figure, standing two meters tall.
He raised his hand, fingers clenched into a fist, and struck down with the might of an ancient battlefield warrior.
Clang!
His fist collided with the tip of Gungnir, producing the sound of metal striking metal.
Brilliant sparks flew, and the spear was forcefully knocked downward.
The thunderous power embedded within it was transferred into the hard rock ground, causing the earth to tremble and crack as lightning erupted, spreading waves of explosive force.
Pompeii, holding the spear, felt a violent tremor in his hands and nearly lost grip of it. A feeling of dread crept into his heart.
In that one second, Hilbert had already managed to escape with Finger from under the spear's deadly path.
"Leonardo Flammel," Pompeii's gaze shifted as he looked at the one who had saved Hilbert. With a cold smile, he added, "I never expected you to be the one hiding the most."
"Not at all. I'm just an old man, getting paid and waiting for death," Leonardo replied, seemingly calm, though his mind was in turmoil.
Pompeii truly lived up to his title as the 'Dragon King.' He had fully 'awakened' and now wielded both 'power and authority.'
To save Hilbert, Leonardo had given it his all, yet he could only barely deflect the trajectory.
The force in that spear felt as if he were trying to move a mountain, a weight comparable to pushing an entire mountain range!
"Is it just the two of you?" Pompeii scanned his surroundings, his lips curling into a slight, mocking smile. "Today, I will end humanity's history. No one can stop me. That's what I say!"
Hilbert flickered in his pupils as he was about to charge forward with all his might, but his shoulder was grabbed by someone.
"Principal, you're getting old. Let the younger ones handle this."
As the words were spoken, a slightly slender figure in a dark green uniform stepped forward. His features were delicate, and he had black hair.
"Lu Mingfei, you finally arrived!"
The moment he saw the black-haired youth, Pompeii's pupils lit up, almost as if driven to madness.
"Last time, it was you who defeated me, but this time, it won't be so easy!"
To avenge his previous defeat, he was now full of confidence.
What black king?
Today, he would trample everything beneath his feet!
********
Support me on my patreon and read upto 30 early chapters.
https://www.patreon.com/Unique_Writer