Deep in the forest along the border between human and dragon territories, a young girl was running for her life, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She dared a glance over her shoulder, her face pale with a fear that clawed at her insides, even though her pursuers were nowhere in sight. She couldn't afford to stop, not even for a second.
She wasn't just running to save herself; she was running to lead them away, to keep her father's hiding place a secret.
But long-distance running was not her strength. It wasn't long before three ominous figures picked up her trail once more. The rustling of leaves in the canopy above sounded like the closing of an invisible cage, tightening around her with every step.
Suddenly, a man's voice, cold and mocking, echoed from the shadows. "Stop running, Rebecca. Just surrender and come back to the empire with us."
Rebecca reacted on instinct, spinning around and firing three shots from her pistol toward the source of the voice. The gunfire startled a flock of birds from the trees, but the bullets hit nothing but bark. She knew her weapon was nearly useless against these three. Yet, she turned and kept running, driven by a single, desperate hope: if she could just buy enough time, her father might have a chance.
Fueled by that belief, she pushed her exhausted body onward, sprinting deeper into the unknown woods.
High above, the three pursuers watched her fleeing form. To them, she looked like a terrified mouse, scurrying for its life.
"She must know where Leon and Tiger are meeting, along with the details of this 'Lionheart Society.' Lord Scott wants her alive. Remember that," said the leader of the trio, Kai.
"Yes, Captain," one of them replied.
After a pause, Kai frowned, noticing he hadn't received a third response. He looked up. "Jax, did you hear the order?"
A man named Jax stood on a branch across from him. He glanced down at the empty space where his right arm should have been, a dark mutter escaping his lips. "Captain, can't I at least take an arm off her for payback before we bring her in?"
"The one who cut your arm off was Tiger, not the gunner. If you want revenge, focus on the right target," Kai replied with a cold snort. "Fine. As long as she's alive and breathing, do as you please."
Jax's face split into a vicious grin. "Thanks, Captain. I won't hold back then!"
With that, the trio vanished, resuming their relentless chase through the forest.
Below, Rebecca finally ducked into a dense thicket, her small stature allowing her to slip into the perfect hiding spot. For once, being short was an advantage. This rare chance to catch her breath was a gift she couldn't waste.
Leaning against the rough bushes, she closed her eyes. Her legs trembled from the exertion, and she could barely keep a steady grip on her pistol. With a shaking hand, she checked her magazine.
"Only four bullets left…"
A wave of hopelessness washed over her. Gunners like her relied on their firearms. If it came down to close combat, she wouldn't stand a chance against the Blade Trio. Each of them possessed strength comparable to a Dragon King—just like Leon in his prime.
Her father had fought with everything he had, sacrificing his own well-being to sever one of their arms and buy them this precious time to flee. But it had only been a brief reprieve. Now, her only hope was that Leon would reach them in time and get her father to safety.
As for herself…
Rebecca leaned her head back against the bush. Her twin ponytails had come loose, letting her green hair cascade around her shoulders, giving her a forlorn beauty.
"If only I can get this evidence to the Captain… he'll finally have a shot at taking down that dog of an emperor."
From the moment she had chosen to stand by Leon, she knew a day like this might come. In a way, her life had been fulfilled—uncovering the empire's schemes, helping to form the Lionheart Society, even becoming true friends with her "Sis-in-law," Rossweise. If she had any regrets, it was never getting to meet Leon's three adorable daughters. And… not being able to see the day when Leon's name was cleared and the empire fell.
"Well, at least… I can die with no regrets."
She steeled herself, forcing her trembling, exhausted body to stand.
Above her, the sound of rustling leaves returned. In the next second, three figures dropped from the canopy, surrounding her in a tight triangle.
"We finally caught up to you, little girl," said Kai, stepping out from the shadows with a smug, triumphant smile.
Rebecca raised her pistol, aiming straight at Kai's forehead, and fired without a moment's hesitation.
Bang!
But Kai emerged completely unscathed. A shimmering, white barrier of magic energy hung in the air before him, the bullet flattened against it.
"As the empire's former top gunner, you should know that if your bullets aren't enchanted, they can't penetrate a magic shield," Kai chuckled, his tone condescending. "Or are you simply too exhausted to enchant them anymore?"
Rebecca's only answer was to fire two more rounds. But as Kai had said, the unenchanted bullets were useless.
"Imperial standard pistol, magazine capacity of thirteen rounds. Since we started fighting a few hours ago, you've already fired twelve." He looked at her, his expression one of utter superiority. "That leaves you with just one bullet, right?"
"Captain, stop wasting time with her. Let me chop off this brat's arm before we question her about Tiger," snarled the one-armed Jax, his eagerness palpable.
"Patience, Jax. Don't you enjoy seeing the despair on your prey's face?" Kai said, folding his arms and taking a step closer. "I rather enjoy that fierce, yet hopeless look in her eyes."
The Blade Trio, renowned for slaying Dragon Kings, could have easily overwhelmed one lone gunner. But they relished the thrill of the hunt, the slow torment of their prey. Watching their victims beg for mercy gave them an unmatched satisfaction. After all, they had survived hellish training and risked death to fuse with Primordial Magic for moments like this.
"Little girl, if you tell us where Tiger is now, maybe I'll put in a good word for you with Lord Scott. He might let you live," Kai offered, his voice deceptively smooth.
Rebecca's tense face suddenly relaxed into a look of pure disdain. She scoffed, her voice dripping with contempt. "You're dying to know where my dad is, aren't you? Well, too bad. I'll never tell you, you damn pervert."
Kai's expression instantly turned cold. "Stubborn to the end, I see." He stopped his advance, his gaze turning to ice. "Rebecca Clement, former gunner of the Empire's First Dragon-Slaying Unit. You are wanted for high treason, charged with multiple assassinations and spreading false propaganda. If you resist, we are authorized to use lethal force."
Rebecca's brow furrowed, her green eyes flashing with defiant fire. She spat back, "Go. To. Hell."
"So it's violence, then? Fine. Jax, you can begin."
"Been waiting for this, Captain!" Jax's remaining hand began to glow with the volatile, dark energy of Primordial Magic.
Rebecca knew that if such a strike hit her, she would be instantly incapacitated. At that point, these monsters could extract whatever information they wanted about Leon and her father directly from her mind. She wasn't about to let that happen.
"You twisted freaks—Leon won't spare any of you."
"Leon Cosmodeous? Oh, don't worry. After we're done with you, he'll be joining you soon," Kai smirked. "But only after we've wrung every bit of intel from your broken mind."
"You'll get nothing from me!" she shouted, raising her pistol once more.
The trio assumed she was aiming at them again and quickly reinforced their magical shields. But to their utter shock, Rebecca turned the gun and pressed the barrel firmly against her own temple!
"You're right—I have one bullet left. It won't go through your shields, but it'll sure as hell go through my own head."
She had always been like this: stubborn and wild to the core. If she was going to die, she would do it on her own terms.
Realizing her intent, Kai panicked. "Stop her! If she dies, we'll lose all trace of Tiger!"
The trio lunged toward her. But no matter how fast they were, they couldn't outpace the pull of a trigger at point-blank range.
Her finger tightened. She closed her eyes. A single tear traced a path through the grime on her cheek as she murmured her final farewell. "Goodbye, Captain."
Just as she pulled the trigger, time itself seemed to warp.
Rebecca heard the crisp click and the roar of the shot, the bullet propelling forward with a dark finality, speeding toward her skull.
"Damn it!!" Kai cursed, diving forward in a futile, rage-filled attempt to intercept.
It was impossible. No one could move faster than a bullet already in flight.
But at that moment, a blinding streak of blue lightning sliced through the air, moving faster than thought itself. The bolt stirred up a violent cloud of dust and debris, forcing the advancing trio to stagger back.
When the dust settled, Kai's eyes shot toward Rebecca. The black pistol lay on the ground, and the bullet that should have ended her life was now embedded harmlessly in a tree trunk to her right. Crouched on the ground, shielding Rebecca with his own body, was a man. Blue arcs of electricity crackled over his shoulders as he slowly rose, his gaze sweeping over her, filled with profound relief to find her unharmed.
Rebecca's eyes fluttered open, unable to believe what she was seeing. Overwhelmed, tears streamed down her face as she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly like a lost child who had finally found her protector.
Leon gently patted her head, his voice a calming anchor in the storm. "It's alright now, Rebecca."
From a distance, the Blade Trio could only stare in stunned silence. So, this was Leon Cosmodeous… His speed… had he actually outpaced a bullet?!
"This… this can't be…" Kai's voice was laced with sheer disbelief. Even with all the enhancements from their Primordial Magic, the trio knew they couldn't come close to such a feat.
Leon glanced back at Rebecca, who was still clinging to him, her small form trembling as she fought to steady her breathing after the close call.
"Want to ride a dragon, Rebecca?" Leon asked softly.
"Huh… what do you mean?" she replied, blinking up at him in confusion.
"Hold tight," Leon said. Before she could react, he lifted her up and tossed her gently into the air.
"W-wait! Ahhh!" she yelped, but her cry was cut short as a flash of silver shot down from the sky, catching her mid-fall. As she opened her eyes, Rebecca found herself lying securely on the broad, sturdy back of a magnificent silver dragon.
"Sis… Sis-in-law!?"
"Hold on tight," Rossweise said, her voice calm and regal even in this form. She glanced back at her passenger. "We'll wait for Leon at a safer place."
Rebecca could only nod quickly, gripping tightly onto the dragon's scales as Rossweise beat her powerful wings, soaring up and away from the treacherous forest.
Back in the clearing, Leon now stood alone, facing the Blade Trio. He had no intention of engaging them in a prolonged fight. He and Rossweise had been on their way to a mountain rendezvous when they'd heard the commotion and arrived just in time. It was clear now that Tiger's location had been compromised. The priority was regrouping.
He cast a brief, calculating glance over the three men, his gaze settling on the one-armed Jax. Using Jax's vulnerable side as his exit path was the most logical choice.
Having formed his plan in an instant, Leon activated the power of the Nine Hells Gates. The familiar crackle of blue lightning, the Chidori, enveloped his hand as he charged straight toward Jax.
"Jax, watch out! He's unbelievably fast!" Kai shouted, his voice sharp with panic.
But the warning came too late. Leon was already upon Jax. Jax braced himself, gathering Primordial Magic in his remaining hand for a counter-strike. But Leon didn't meet him head-on. Instead, he moved with impossible agility, dodging Jax's guard and slipping past his defenses on the vulnerable, unguarded right side.
By the time Jax turned to launch a second attack, Leon was already gone, vanished into the deep shadows of the forest without a trace.
A cold shiver crept up Kai's spine as he stared into the empty, silent woods. Finally, he spoke in a low, frustrated voice. "Let's fall back."
.
.
.
Having easily shaken off the Blade Trio, Leon quickly reunited with Rossweise and Rebecca near the mountains. Together, they made their way to a secluded cave hidden behind the thunderous curtain of a waterfall.
"Rebecca, did they track you and Master down?" Leon asked as soon as they landed safely inside the cavern.
Rebecca nodded solemnly. "From what they said, it sounds like they figured out our movements during El-Lanti's rule. After Constantine's attack, El-Lanti was removed, and Scott took his place. He wasted no time hunting us down."
Leon's eyes narrowed. "Where's Master now? Is he safe?"
At this, Rebecca's expression dimmed, her shoulders slumping in despair. "Father… he's badly injured. I hid him deeper in the cave, hoping to lead the Blade Trio away long enough for you to get here."
Leon placed a firm, comforting hand on her shoulder. "You did well. Thank you, Rebecca."
Hearing about Tiger's critical condition, Rossweise immediately quickened her pace, her human form gliding through the dim tunnel as she propelled them toward the inner chamber.
Half an hour later, they arrived at the hidden section of the cave.
"Father! Father, the Captain is here," Rebecca called out, dashing ahead.
Leon and Rossweise followed closely behind.
Cough… cough…
A weak, raspy cough echoed from the shadows, the sound filling Leon with a sense of dread. He quickened his steps, only to freeze at the grim scene before him.
Tiger lay on a makeshift bed of dried grass, his face pale and clammy. A deep, grievous wound on his chest had seeped through the bandages and his shirt, staining the grass beneath him a dark, ominous red.
"Master! What… what happened?" Leon rushed to Tiger's side, his eyes scanning the terrible injury.
"During the escape, he went all out to sever Jax's arm, buying us precious time to flee," Rebecca explained, her voice thick with emotion. "I used all my healing magic to stabilize him, but it won't last long… At best, we have six hours. Captain, with wounds this severe…"
Leon had seen enough mortal injuries on the battlefield to know what she left unsaid. The magic was merely a temporary plug, holding back the inevitable for a few short hours, nothing more.
He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white and let out a low, sharp crack. A helpless, burning fury surged in his chest. Tiger had raised him, trained him, shaped him into the warrior he was today. If not for Tiger, Leon would be nothing. Even after Leon was framed and disgraced by the very empire he served, Tiger had risked everything to clear his name. He had done far more than any father ever could, and this was his reward…
"Kid… hey, kid…" Tiger's voice was a thin, papery whisper, barely audible.
"Master! I'm here," Leon replied, leaning in close so as not to miss a word.
"Sea… Sea…" Tiger's vision was hazy, each word a monumental struggle fought with the dregs of his strength.
"Sea what, Master? I'm listening," Leon urged gently, his heart pounding.
"Sea… Dragon Clan…" Tiger managed.
Leon's eyes widened as the realization struck him like a physical blow.
"Take me… to the Sea Dragon Clan, kid… take me there…"