Chapter 121: Crimson Judgment and the Rise of a Leon
The fierce duel between Ramiro Leon and the Axe-wielding commander continued to ignite the battlefield. Despite being flanked by three formidable masked allies, the enemy found that Ramiro was far more than a match. Each attempted blow only seemed to fuel his defiance.
—Danza Furiosa del Dragón
(Furious Dance of the Dragon)
—Whirlwind Cleaving Axe
Ramiro blurred into motion, his spear a fiery cyclone, slicing in rapid circular patterns. Trails of flame spun around him as he became a living storm, his body engulfed in crimson and gold—a relentless tempest of spear strikes crashing into the air around him.
The axe wielder, not to be outdone, spun his weapon with equal fury, generating a vicious whirlwind of cleaving force. Their two arts collided in a spectacular explosion of wind and flame, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.
The three masked attackers who had been pressing Ramiro suddenly found themselves battered by both forces. Desperately defending, they were caught in the aftermath—burns scorching their limbs, armor cracked and blackened.
—Cola de Dragón (Dragon's Tail)
—Garra Ascendente (Ascending Claw)
In a flash, Ramiro dashed low with a sweeping spin, knocking one masked attacker off his feet with the back of his spear. In the same motion, he launched into a spinning uppercut, sending the assailant hurtling through the air toward another enemy.
A third enemy tried to intervene, unleashing a counter-skill that disrupted Ramiro's follow-up—but not before the two others hit the ground, trailing smoke and flame, scorched and stunned.
Suddenly, the Axe wielder unleashed a massive Axe Ki projectile, cleaving the air and tearing across the land.
—Marea Ígnea Dracónica (Burning Dragon Tide)
Ramiro roared in response, his spear glowing with a surging inferno. He unleashed a roaring wave of Ki that met the Axe projectile head-on. The impact shattered the terrain, sending violent tremors and pillars of fire throughout the battlefield. Even nearby skirmishes faltered from the shock.
"Hahaha! Enough of this! Now, how does Elton do it again…" Ramiro muttered with a dangerous grin, his smile proud, but his eyes cold with deadly focus.
As Ramiro poised himself for a counterstrike, the Axe commander bellowed:
"Kill this bastard now!!"
The commander, his three injured allies, and four more reinforcements rushed to surround Ramiro, weapons crackling with lethal intent.
"!! Look out!"
Before they could strike, they were forced to halt as shards of ice magic and spiked wood projectiles rained down on them from the sides, disrupting their formation.
—Divine Branch of the World Tree: Impale!
From a short distance away, Seralily stood glowing with tri-colored energy—gold, deep red, and forest green. With a fierce battle cry, she hurled her spear with devastating force.
Two enemies were impaled instantly, their bodies launched backward into three more enemies as they crashed through the remains of a shattered building.
"You BITCH! Kill her!!"
Attacks swarmed toward Seralily, but Sakurana and Willowna rushed to her defense, intercepting the strikes at the cost of further injury to themselves.
The Axe commander made another charge at Ramiro—only to strike an afterimage.
"!!"
Ramiro reappeared near one of the commander's men. His flaming fist connected with the man's chest, caving it in as the enemy was launched skyward—lifeless.
—Spear Aura Transformation
Ramiro's body became wreathed in razor-sharp Ki, his form cloaked in radiant spear energy. He tensed his muscles, his dangerous smile widening.
—Filo Carmesí Perpetuo
(Perpetual Crimson Edge)
In a blur of speed and power, Ramiro advanced.
An enemy fired a beam of Ki toward him—Ramiro charged straight through it, driving his spear through the man's heart.
He turned, leaped, and slashed—severing another's weapon and head in a single strike.
One by one, he cut down every remaining foe around him—until only the Axe commander remained.
"AHHHHH!! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!!!" the Axe wielder screamed, fury and hidden fear trembling in his voice.
Spear met axe in a storm of violence. Ramiro's flames surged, every clash growing heavier, hotter, more relentless. The balance shifted more with each strike.
The commander leaped high for a decisive overhead strike—only to be met in midair. Ramiro's spear smashed into him, sending him hurtling down into a pit—the very same one that enemy forces were using as a makeshift fortress.
Dozens rushed to his aid, but they didn't realize—they were all within the strike zone.
Ramiro hovered mid-air.
Behind him, a projection of a lion-faced dragon roared, cloaked in thunder, flame, and divine energy. Lightning coiled around his falling form. Thunder cracked, and a burning wind swept across the plains.
—Juicio Carmesí
(Crimson Judgment)
Ramiro hurled his spear downward with everything he had.
The sky ignited.
The heat of the world shifted as the spear became a flaming comet.
White Star Radiance members immediately retreated at the sight, guided by the Leon Clan's internal signal. Winds of protection forced the enemies back toward the fort—but few noticed. They were too focused on attacking or regrouping.
"LOOK TO THE SKIES!!" cried a Gold Tier 3 expert, who had planned to ambush Carlos Leon Jr., only to realize there was another terrifying Leon among them.
Then came impact.
The spear struck with cataclysmic force. The pit erupted in thunderous flames, shockwaves decimating everything nearby. A dragon's roar echoed as the Axe commander, unable to even react, screamed:
"LEEEEOOOON CLAAAAAN!!!"
...before being utterly consumed.
That day, the world was reminded.
The Leon Clan was not just a noble name—it was a force to be feared.
And Ramiro Leon, with his rising fame and monstrous power, was no longer someone who could be hidden behind a mask. His build, his skills, and the barely-secretive reputation of his lineage made it impossible.
But more importantly, something far more volatile began to circulate...
A rumor.
That Sir Ramiro Leon was secretly engaged to none other than Princess Helga V. Helmsley.
No one could say where the rumor started.
But the Helmsley Royal Family never denied it.
Was it true? Was it a ploy? A political maneuver? A consequence of war?
No one knew.
But the impact was immediate.
Allies began adjusting strategies. Enemies began making quiet, fearful inquiries. Even other nations took notice. Nobles scrambled. War factions hesitated.
And Ramiro—unlike the mysterious Elton, the terrifying Zoro, or the revered but distant Christy who were all masked with more hidden figures—was approachable. Tangible. A hero with a face, with roots, with royal connections.
He was suddenly sought after, not just for his martial might—but for what his presence meant.
The balance of power had shifted.
And the tides of war… began to move once more.