The frequent earthquakes were certainly unusual. Yet, many of Sky City's residents went about their business with practiced calm, as if they were already accustomed to the tremors.
"A floating city can experience earthquakes?" Constantine murmured under his breath, his keen eyes scanning the stable ground beneath their feet.
Leon followed his gaze, replying in a low voice, "They say the entire city is suspended by the spatial magic crafted and maintained by the Twilight Tower. If these quakes are happening more often, could it be that old Tower Master's magic is failing?"
"That seems highly unlikely," Rossweise interjected. Having landed safely with the two little dragon girls, she brushed a stray strand of silver hair from her face. "The magic anchoring Sky City is a permanent, foundational spell, not a temporary one. In simpler terms, as long as the core enchantment remains active and is maintained regularly, it shouldn't destabilize on its own."
Leon nodded slowly in understanding. "I see. But if it's supposedly so stable, why are these earthquakes happening so frequently lately? Has this ever happened before in your memory?"
Rossweise shook her head, a slight frown on her elegant features. "Not that I can recall." She gestured to the calm citizens around them. "Judging by how unperturbed everyone is, the Tower Master has probably already issued a public explanation for the phenomena."
"Yeah, that's probably the case," Leon agreed, though a hint of unease remained in his voice.
With the tremor passed, the group continued their stroll. Rossweise walked ahead with the two chattering girls, while Leon and Constantine lagged behind, their conversation turning more serious.
"Leon, it's strange... Lately, I've been feeling..." Constantine paused, rubbing his chest absently. "It's like there's some inexplicable force stirring within me. A faint resonance."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Is it related to the Primordial Force you absorbed?" He then countered his own question. "Though to be fair, you gained that power long ago. Given its foreign nature, it was never fully compatible with your body to begin with."
Constantine shook his head firmly. "No, this is different from the Primordial Force. That was overwhelming, a distinct and powerful presence. This... this is much weaker, so faint it's almost imperceptible. Except—" He stopped in his tracks, his crimson dragon eyes narrowing slightly as if he had just connected a crucial detail.
Leon, noticing the pause, stopped a few steps ahead and turned to face him. "Except what?"
"Except when I approach Sky City," Constantine replied, his tone grave.
Leon's frown deepened. "You mean this strange resonance within you becomes more pronounced the closer you get to Sky City?"
"Exactly. Although 'more pronounced' might be overstating it—it's still faint, almost negligible. And it hasn't impacted my strength or daily life in any tangible way."
"When did you first notice this... presence?" Leon asked, crossing his arms.
Constantine thought for a moment before responding with certainty. "After I broke free from the Empire's control. It's been there ever since."
"So, it was already inside you before you even acquired the Primordial Force?"
"Yes. I've never mentioned it to anyone, but recently—especially today, as we traveled here—the closer we got to Sky City, the more I could feel its subtle activity."
Leon's frown intensified as he processed this. His first thought was that it might be some residual mechanism from the Empire's reconstruction of Constantine's body—perhaps a specific material or energy signature they had used in his new form.
But Constantine reiterated, "The key is its connection to this place. The resonance is tied to Sky City itself."
That detail left Leon stumped. "Maybe the Empire's crude fusion techniques just left some... gaps, or unstable components," he suggested half-heartedly, lacking a better explanation.
Constantine glanced down at his right hand, clenching it into a fist. "When I get the chance, I need to study this new body of mine more thoroughly," he stated, a familiar bitterness creeping into his voice.
Even now, the Crimson Flame Dragon King could not let go of his deep-seated grudge against the Empire for turning him into what he saw as a stitched-together monstrosity. Despite the fact that his new body, built from the finest materials the Empire could procure, was objectively far stronger and more resilient than his original form, Constantine's pride as a Dragon King could not accept such a foreign and artificial vessel. He would always prefer the body he had tempered through his own countless trials and hardships.
"I've been looking into the Empire's fusion techniques myself," Leon offered. "I'll check their archived records when I return to the capital and see if I can find anything that might explain what you're feeling."
Constantine blinked, then shifted his gaze to Hefei, who was laughing ahead with Muse, before looking back at Leon. "Your daughter was just born, and you're already planning to leave home?"
"It's only for a short trip. I'll be back before she even notices I'm gone," Leon replied, his own gaze softening as it landed on his youngest daughter. The proud father's expression was filled with fondness as he asked a heavier question. "Constantine, how strong does someone have to be to ensure nothing they hold dear can ever be destroyed?"
"If anyone knows the answer to that, it's you," Constantine replied, his voice solemn. "Thirty years ago, I thought I was strong enough, but my arrogance nearly cost me Hefei. So if you're asking how strong one must be to protect everything they treasure—" Constantine looked Leon directly in the eye, his gaze burning with hard-won conviction, "—my answer is this: one must never stop moving forward."
He continued, "During our first fight, I told you that once you have a weakness, you're no longer the strongest. That statement, applied to you now, is incomplete." Leon waited silently for the rest. "You must become stronger than 'the strongest' you can conceive of. Only then can you truly hold onto everything. And if anyone can achieve that state, it is you, Leon."
"Stronger than the strongest..." Leon's gaze drifted toward his wife and daughter walking ahead. His deep black eyes reflected their distant figures as he murmured to himself, "What kind of realm would that even be?"
.
.
.
A month later, Leon set off for the Flaming Valley, a rugged, geothermal-active region on the continent's edge. His intelligence team had sent word that they had discovered a large number of dangerous fusion beasts bearing Black Dragon Scales in the area, which strongly suggested a major Shadow Serpent Cult base might be operating nearby.
Leon didn't have much time to spend with Muse before leaving. In the Silver Dragon Sanctuary's sunlit front courtyard, he knelt before her as the maid Milan held her. "Daddy has to go out for a bit, but I'll be back soon," he told her softly.
Muse waved her little hand from Milan's arms and nodded with serious understanding. "Got it, Daddy. Be good and listen to your mom while I'm gone," he instructed.
"Mm-hmm! Come back soon and play me a new song!" Muse requested.
"Alright, I'll come back as fast as I can," he promised.
After a thoughtful pause, Muse added, "But don't rush too much, Daddy. Take care of everything you need to. As long as you're back before my school entrance ceremony, it's fine."
Leon smiled at his clever, thoughtful little girl, who was already mentally preparing for her own future challenges. "Alright, I promise I'll be back before your ceremony."
"Okay!" she chirped.
"Daddy's leaving now."
"Bye, Daddy! Mommy, take care on the way!" Muse called out.
"Safe travels, Your Majesty. Hurry back once you've wrapped things up," Milan added with a bow.
This time, Leon departed on the "Wife Express"—Rossweise's personal and rapid aerial transportation. They had agreed that after dropping him off at the edge of the Flaming Valley, she would return home immediately. Rossweise had wanted to stay longer and assist, but the Shadow Serpent Cult's mysterious and dangerous nature left her uneasy. More importantly, Muse needed her mother at home.
As much as Leon wanted her company and formidable power at his side, he prioritized the safety of his wife and daughter above all else.
Before they parted at the rocky overlook, Leon promised her, "If a real boss fight starts, I'll call you right away. We'll take it on together."
"Don't you dare leave me out of the big fights," Rossweise replied with a characteristic smirk, though her eyes held concern.
With a powerful, thunderous flap of her magnificent silver dragon wings, Rossweise shot into the sky and quickly disappeared over the horizon, leaving Leon to gaze at the smoldering, treacherous landscape of the Flaming Valley below.