Vol. 3 Ch. 133

The Primordial Nightmare seemed to sense Rosvisser's opposing primal energy, making it even more ferocious. It ceased its chaotic attacks on the surroundings and focused all its energy on its chest. A black and red magical orb formed there, radiating a violent, suffocating pressure.

Even during the energy charging phase, Leon could already feel the unprecedented power of this strike. He stepped forward, gathering lightning magic to assist Rosvisser, but Claudia held him back.

“What’s wrong?” Leon asked, turning to her.

“A clash between primal forces—your usual lightning magic won’t help here,” Claudia said. “And that black dragon scale is peculiar. I doubt any conventional magic could affect it.”

Leon gritted his teeth. Though unwilling, he understood Claudia’s explanation. If he acted impulsively, not only would he be unable to help Rosvisser, but he might also create unnecessary complications.

With that realization, Leon stepped back, raising his arm to shield Claudia as magical energy surged, forming a blue skeletal framework around them.

**Ultra S-Class Lightning Magic: Shadow of Sumeru.**

Leon had once used this technique in the battle known as “Ten Seconds to Kill Six Dragons” to fend off a full-force assault from four Dragon Kings. At that time, he only used the basic form of the Shadow of Sumeru. But now, facing the do-or-die attack from the Primordial Nightmare, he reinforced it twice over. In an instant, the skeletal structure was covered with a layer of lightning armor, visibly elevating its defensive power by several levels.

Claudia, surrounded by the protective shell, quietly admired it. “Of all the people I've known, you're the only one who’s mastered the Shadow of Sumeru to this extent.”

Leon, however, was too focused to be flattered by his aunt’s praise. His gaze remained fixed on Rosvisser’s back, silently cheering her on.

---

The battle in the upper district was projected to every corner of the Empire through the remaining resonant recording stones. This meant that the citizens could witness the revolutionary battle firsthand.

At that moment, the projection showed the woman known as the “Silver Dragon Queen” standing alone before the ultimate monster created by the Empire. Her slender figure seemed powerless before the monstrous Primordial Nightmare.

But she showed no fear. The seven-colored light emanated from her, and her silver hair billowed in the surge of energy.

“I can’t believe the Dragon Queen is actually fighting for us...”

“Can she really defeat that monster?”

“Trust her, and trust Leon Cosmod. They’ll end this crisis.”

---

On the battlefield, both sides had finished charging their power.

The Primordial Nightmare roared, releasing a cataclysmic beam of energy aimed at Rosvisser. Even those on the edges of the battlefield, like Rebecca and the members of the Lionheart Society, could feel the intense emotions embedded in the attack: fury, savagery, greed, and malevolence. It was less of a creature’s desperate struggle and more the manifestation of hatred and greed itself.

“This feeling... it’s bone-chilling.”

Rebecca, a master sniper, was not as attuned to magical energy as Leon or other magicians. But even she was shaken to her core by the beam. A shiver ran through her body, and cold sweat trickled down her temple.

Nacho and Martin exchanged grave looks.

“I’ve never seen anything like this... It’s not like the pressure of fighting a Dragon King. It’s...”

Martin struggled to describe the sensation.

Nacho provided the answer. “The dark side of humanity and intelligence. The Dagger Trio betrayed by Canter, the intelligent creatures turned into fusion beasts—they’ve lost their consciousness and left only their rage at the world.”

“So, what about Captain and the others—”

“If they’re facing it head-on, it means they believe they can handle it,” Nacho said with a sigh. “We’re out of our depth here.”

---

Everyone could feel the sheer terror and power of the Primordial Nightmare, but—

The Silver Dragon Queen would not be intimidated by such chaos.

The seven-colored light gleamed between her fingers as she released *Soul Judgment*, countering the monster’s beam head-on. The collision of their energies sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield, turning day into night and stirring fierce winds. Debris rained against Leon’s Shadow of Sumeru, which stood as an unyielding barrier.

Fortunately, Leon had evacuated the citizens with the help of the Lionheart Society beforehand, sparing them from the devastating energy clash.

The Primordial Nightmare continued pouring its power into the beam, drawing strength from the Dagger Trio’s primal force and their deep-seated darkness. This made it more powerful than any enemy Leon had ever faced.

This was precisely why Queen Elizabeth felt victory was within reach.

“Leon anticipated we had another card to play,” Elizabeth said calmly. “And he was right. But he could never have imagined how far our trump card extends.”

King Canter, relieved after witnessing the power of the Primordial Nightmare, wiped his brow and laughed. “‘Shadow Lord’s’ black dragon scale is formidable. Before Leon dies, he’ll learn what it means to meet his match.”

Elizabeth cast a sidelong glance at Canter, her tone cryptic. “The black dragon scale isn’t our only ace.”

“Oh? What else?”

Elizabeth turned her gaze back to the battlefield, shaking her head. “I’ll keep that a secret for now. We won’t need it.”

Canter didn’t press her further and continued watching the battle.

---

“Die! All of you, die!!”

The monster’s deep roar made bones tremble. The clash continued, with neither side gaining an advantage.

“At this rate... Rosvisser won’t hold out,” Leon muttered, concern clouding his eyes.

*Soul Judgment* was a draining move, and Rosvisser had never sustained it on this scale, even during practice. If things continued, she would reach her limit.

“Trust your wife, Leon,” Claudia said, still composed. “Her mastery of *Soul Judgment* surpasses your expectations. And... don’t you remember? *Soul Judgment* isn’t meant for direct confrontation. The stronger the opponent’s negative emotions, the greater the damage.”

Leon blinked, recalling that fact vividly. He’d even once brought an enraged minotaur for Rosvisser to practice on. (The beast hadn’t been purified but turned into beef stew instead.)

“Then why is she holding her ground against it now?” Leon asked. “She’s at a disadvantage in direct combat.”

“She’s waiting.”

“Waiting? For what?”

“For the perfect moment to unleash its full power.”

Claudia’s eyes lit up. “Here it comes. Now!”

As the Primordial Nightmare’s energy surged, so did the dark emotions it emitted. A glimmer of light flashed in Rosvisser’s silver eyes.

“You should never have crossed us.”

The seven-colored light of *Soul Judgment* blazed with sudden intensity, overpowering the energy clash in an instant. The holy beam sliced through the darkness like an unstoppable blade.

“No—No!!”

The monster’s final, desperate howl was drowned out by the explosion of *Soul Judgment*, illuminating the upper district and bathing the Empire in brilliant light.

When the dust settled, a magnificent seven-colored rainbow arched across the moonlit sky. The massive black corpse lay at Rosvisser’s feet. She panted, regaining her strength before standing tall again.

Before she could declare her victory, urgent footsteps echoed behind her. She turned just in time to be enveloped in Leon’s bear hug.

“If I knew you were this powerful, I wouldn’t have bothered getting backup! We could’ve taken down the Empire ourselves!”

Exhausted after her attack, Rosvisser could only sigh and let the childish man hold her. She looked up at him, her gaze soft, like an older sister’s.

“I can’t let you take all the glory. It was my turn.”

Rosvisser’s words were true. If an MVP of the Empire battle had to be chosen, she was undoubtedly it.

“Sis! Wow, you were amazing!” Rebecca shouted as she ran up with Nacho and Martin in tow.

Rosvisser finally pried herself from Leon’s embrace and smiled down at the spirited girl. “Was I? Who’s cooler, me or your captain?”

“Of course, you’re cooler, Sis!”

“I think so too.”

“Heh!”

Claudia watched the scene with satisfaction. A happy ending might not be the pinnacle of literary art, but it was what the people wanted.

At that moment, Konstantin arrived—panting but there.

“Is it over?” he asked Claudia, who nodded toward the monster’s corpse.

“Yes, it’s over. The Silver Dragon Queen ended it in one strike.”

Konstantin’s eyes widened slightly. “In one strike?”

“Mhm.”

He frowned thoughtfully before muttering, “The Empire might still have another move.”

Leon: (→_→)

Rosvisser: (→_→)

Claudia: (→_→)

Konstantin shrugged. “Hey, I’m not jinxing it.”

---

Thud—

The fall of the Primordial Nightmare was like the final straw. King Canter’s legs buckled, and he collapsed on the deck of the land cruiser.

“It’s over... everything’s over... ‘Shadow’ won’t spare us...”

A sudden thought struck him. He turned to Elizabeth, desperation in his eyes. “You said there was another ace. What is it? Bring it out now!”

Elizabeth crossed her arms and looked down at him coldly. “Do you really want to know?”

“Of course! We’re out

of time! Do you want to be torn apart by ‘Shadow’ or the angry mob? Use whatever we have left!”

“Very well. Follow me.”

Elizabeth walked to the front of the land cruiser, with Canter scrambling to follow.

At the bow, Elizabeth looked down. Leon and his allies were still joking and celebrating below.

“‘Shadow’ decides who lives and dies, Leon.”

Canter leaned over, searching for the ace she’d mentioned. “Where? Where is it—”

Before he could finish, Elizabeth slipped behind him and pushed. He tumbled from the land cruiser, screaming.

“Elizabeth!!—”

His cries faded as he fell into the black remains of the Primordial Nightmare.

“You are ‘Shadow’s’ final ace,” Elizabeth whispered coldly. “The Dagger Trio sacrificed themselves for the Empire. Now, it’s your turn.”

Her voice was icy, devoid of any trace of affection.

“Elizabeth... How could you—how could you do this to me?! No—stay back! Get away!!”

As Canter fell into the mass of dark ooze, countless tendrils surged to meet him, dragging him into the corpse of the Primordial Nightmare.

Elizabeth watched impassively, murmuring, “Time to let go of the Empire, ‘Shadow’.”

---

“Hey, did something just fall from the cruiser?” Rebecca squinted at the black mass, noticing movement. “Is that thing... still alive?”

Leon and the others followed her gaze.

Sure enough, the supposedly defeated Primordial Nightmare was moving again.

Was it just the last death throes?

Or...?

Rebecca’s peripheral vision caught sight of the recording stone shards being absorbed by tendrils from the Nightmare. She quickly reloaded her sniper rifle and fired at the tendril, but the magical bullet was absorbed.

“What’s going on?!”

Before she could react further, Martin scooped her up and dashed back. Konstantin leaped to a nearby building, and Claudia took to the air with her dragon wings, avoiding the spreading tendrils. Rosvisser flew with Leon to safety.

From above, Leon had a clear view of what the monster was doing.

The tendrils reached out, absorbing everything—rubble, recording stone fragments, organic and inorganic material—turning it all into part of itself. As it consumed more, it grew even larger.

The Primordial Nightmare now resembled a massive black octopus, its tendrils devouring everything in sight.

---

“Did I just see Canter fall into that thing?”

“This country has gone completely mad...”

“Why won’t it die?! It’s absorbing everything around it!”

---

The resonant recording stone array broadcasted the upper district’s catastrophe to the entire Empire. The fusion of King Canter and the Primordial Nightmare sent a chill down every spine.

Within moments, half of the upper district had been consumed.

“Miss Caroline... I’m scared...” A young girl clung tightly to Caroline outside the Cosmod Orphanage.

The eerie dread seeped into Caroline, too, but she remained strong for the children. “It’s okay... it’ll be okay...”

“Brother Leon will defeat it! He will!” Even Sister Sharon, terrified as she was, didn’t waver or despair.

Because she knew that as long as Leon stood, hope remained.

“Leon... you can do it, you must...” Caroline whispered a silent prayer for the man on the projection.

---

“If we let it keep consuming, the whole Empire will be gone before the night ends,” Konstantin said, launching a powerful dragon flame at the beast. The flame was absorbed, and the monster grew larger, turning deep red. A high-energy fireball erupted from its surface, but it was slow enough for Leon and the others to dodge.

“It absorbs magic and returns it amplified,” Claudia said. “We can’t use any magic-based attacks. That will only strengthen it.”

“What about primal energy?” Rosvisser asked.

“Unlikely. The Dagger Trio is still within it, so it’s resistant to and can absorb primal energy too.”

Magic and primal energy were ineffective. It seemed like a dead end.

After a moment of silence, Leon spoke up.

“I have one last move.”

The three Dragon Kings looked at him.

“It can’t be...”

“Yes. If magic fails, only raw physical force remains.”

Leon looked at Konstantin. “This move was originally for you.”

“For me?” Konstantin echoed, surprised.

“Yes.”

Leon’s eyes returned to the monster below. “But now, I have to use it here.”

“Rosvisser, put me down and take Rebecca and the others to a safe distance. I need space.”

Rosvisser frowned. “You’re playing the hero again.”

“No, I need room to maneuver without worrying about you.”

Her eyes narrowed.

Leon sighed, losing their silent battle after mere seconds. “Okay, maybe a little heroism. But trust me, I’ll be fine.”

“I will be,” he added softly, his voice carrying assurance as he always did in moments of crisis.

Rosvisser nodded. “Be safe, Leon.”

“I will. Our daughters are waiting for us to come home.”

Rosvisser smiled, lowering him to the street and leading Rebecca and the others to safety. They took refuge on a tall building out of the monster’s reach.

Claudia approached the ledge, looking out at the burning district. “He’s going to use the *Nine Gates of Hell*, isn’t he?”

“Yes.”

“All nine gates?”

“Yes.”

“But he’s not of the dragon clan. Without a Heartguard Dragon Scale, the backlash from the ninth gate will destroy his heart.”

Claudia had helped compile the ancient text of *Nine Gates of Hell*, so she knew its consequences. Even with a Heartguard Dragon Scale, she had only reached the eighth gate. The ninth gate required exceptional talent and came with immense risk.

“Heartguard Dragon Scale...”

Rosvisser’s lips curled into a faint smile as she looked at Leon. “He has one.”

“What—”

Claudia realized. “So that’s how he survived back then, with your Heartguard Dragon Scale.”

“Yes... he will win. I know he will.”

Claudia sighed, reminded of her devoted sister. But now wasn’t the time for nostalgia. She focused on the battle as Leon began opening the gates.

“Blood Boil, Bone Rush, Godspeed, Star’s Might, Sun Chaser.”

“The second to sixth gates enhance the body’s capabilities, allowing for powerful attacks.”

“But the seventh and eighth gates aren’t offensive.”

“Gate Seven: Twilight’s Aegis, Gate Eight: Rebirth’s Radiance. The first for defense, the second for rapid healing.”

“They prepare the body for the ninth gate.”

“Because when the ninth gate opens, the energy’s backlash can destroy the user’s body. The previous gates mitigate this, but most practitioners never reach the ninth.”

“Lacking talent or unwilling to risk it all.”

Leon wasn’t of the dragon race but was opening the ninth gate. It was awe-inspiring.

Claudia exhaled, eyes on the man who now stood unmoving, like a divine guardian.

“The last page of *Nine Gates of Hell* says this:”

On the battlefield, Leon stood tall as scarlet steam rose from his skin. His veins glowed, not with blood but molten crimson.

Lightning coiled around him like an old companion.

“When twilight fades, and the light of rebirth dies—”

He crouched like a lion preparing to strike.

The Primordial Nightmare sensed his power and lashed out with massive tendrils.

Leon awaited this moment.

He launched forward, an unstoppable force wrapped in scarlet energy.

“The deep night becomes his only armor—”

The red steam took the form of a roaring lion, charging toward the monster.

“Ninth Gate of Hell: Night’s Armor!!”

____________

Autor NOTES:

Writing out all nine gates proves I didn’t just borrow from others’ techniques. Using puns at the end is my tribute to *Naruto*, the anime that defined my youth.

Thanks for your support. We now move to the next phase—no time to mourn the Empire, as we embrace the Melkvey family's comedic chaos.