Vol. 5 Ch. 38

Rebecca, for once, appeared deep in thought, and Leon couldn’t help but feel a tinge of pride.

"Looks like you’ve finally put that brain of yours to work," Leon teased.

"Hey! I’ve always been smart!" Rebecca huffed.

Leon chuckled but didn’t argue. Instead, he scanned their surroundings.

"This proves we’re in the right place. Whatever plans the Shadow Lord is working on here are important enough for Elizabeth to personally monitor us. She’s ensuring we don’t interfere."

Rebecca tilted her head. "So, are we going to try and find Elizabeth now?"

Leon considered the question but shook his head.

"Not yet. If she’s watching us, she’ll be on high alert. Simmons and the others didn’t pick up any signs of her presence earlier, which means she’s either too well-hidden or using advanced cloaking techniques.

"Besides, we shouldn’t tip her off. For now, let’s focus on extracting those black dragon scales from the molten fire deer."

Rebecca nodded thoughtfully. "Fair enough. But what if we draw her out indirectly, by disrupting her plans?"

"Ah, using one plan to counter another. Now you’re thinking like a strategist," Leon said, patting her on the head.

"Of course! Wait, what do you mean ‘now’? I’ve always been like this!"

Leon laughed but didn’t press further.

"Come on. While they’re busy removing the scales, let’s search the lab again. Maybe we missed something."

"Got it."

The two returned to the lab, scouring every corner.

For over half an hour, they turned over every scrap of paper and examined every piece of equipment. But apart from the notebook Leon had already found, there was nothing else of value.

When they emerged from the lab, Nacho and the others had just finished removing the black dragon scales from the molten fire deer.

"The scales have been extracted, and we’ve used healing magic to patch up their wounds," Nacho reported.

Leon nodded, acknowledging the work.

"Good. Rebecca and I searched the lab again but found nothing useful."

Nacho frowned. "So… we’ve hit a dead end?"

Leon stared at the cave entrance thoughtfully. After a moment, he said,

"Not necessarily. Do you remember the tubes connected to the embryo in the lab?"

Nacho nodded. "What about them?"

"The tubes must have a source. If we trace them back, we might uncover something new."

"Understood. I’ll have Simmons track the direction of the tubes," Nacho replied.

"Good idea."

With their next move decided, Leon led the group away from the molten fire deer’s territory.

Simmons, a sorcerer adept at sensory magic, took the lead. He guided the team by following the residual energy along the nutrient tubes, heading toward their source.

"By the way," Leon said as they walked, turning to Nacho. "Earlier, you mentioned that whatever emerged from the embryo might be a hybrid monster or something imbued with the Flame Demon’s power. Care to elaborate?"

Nacho hesitated before speaking.

"That was my initial guess. But… there’s another possibility."

Leon smirked. "Go on. Let’s see if it matches my theory."

Nacho exhaled and adjusted his pace. His expression grew serious.

"If Elizabeth wasn’t creating some hybrid creature, then what emerged from that embryo might be… a new Flame Demon."

Leon’s expression darkened slightly. Nacho continued,

"The Flame Demon, an ancient fire-elemental dangerous species, is beyond the scope of our current ranking system.

"Records say that when the Flame Demon died, its body transformed into the Fire Valley, and its lingering energy has been enough to allow countless dangerous species to evolve. It shaped the environment of southern Sasser for millennia.

"For humans, the Flame Demon is even more mysterious than the Dragon Kings. It’s mentioned only briefly in historical texts, and even then, the details are vague."

Leon nodded. "That’s what I was thinking as well. But I wouldn’t call it far-fetched."

Nacho raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Because if it were anyone else, this would sound insane. But if the Shadow Lord is involved, it all makes sense," Leon replied.

He continued, "Think about it. Before Konstantin, would you have believed someone could turn a Dragon King into a puppet?"

Nacho faltered slightly but quickly regained his composure.

"Point taken. The Shadow Lord really is beyond comprehension."

Leon nodded solemnly.

"What’s worse is that everything we’ve encountered so far—the Dragon War, the black dragon scales, Adam, and now the Fire Valley—these are just fragments of the Shadow Lord’s overall plan.

"We still have no idea what his ultimate goal is. But whatever it is, we can’t let him succeed."

Nacho glanced at Leon curiously. "I’ve always wondered… why are you so determined to stop the Shadow Lord?"

Leon gazed into the distance, his black eyes reflecting a faint green memory.

After a moment of silence, he said quietly,

"Whatever his goal is, if he succeeds, it will inevitably affect the people and things I care about.

"I’ve already experienced a future where I lost her. The pain of that… I won’t go through it again."

Leon’s voice hardened. "So, no matter what it takes, I will stop him. At any cost."

Only those who have experienced loss can truly understand the value of what they have.

Nacho didn’t fully grasp the depth of Leon’s conviction, but he could see the sincerity in his words.

"The members of Lionheart trust you because you’ve restored their dignity and given them hope for Arlan’s future. If the Shadow Lord’s plans succeed, it won’t just be you who suffers. We all understand that. That’s why no one’s thought about quitting."

Nacho grinned slightly, adding, "Though it does mean we’ll be relying on you to lead the charge again."

Leon laughed. "I’ll lead as many charges as it takes."

Their conversation ended as the team followed the tubes’ energy for over two hours.

The air grew increasingly hot.

"Captain," Martin called out, "we’re approaching the center of the Fire Valley."

Leon moved to the front and looked ahead.

Beyond the chaotic, overgrown gorge lay the volcanic heart of the Fire Valley.

The books described the Fire Valley’s volcanoes as dormant but still capable of erupting, albeit rarely.

Leon thought for a moment and then issued his orders.

"Split into two teams. One will stay here as backup, and the other will follow me into the gorge to investigate."

"Understood, Captain."

As the team split, Leon led his group toward the volcanoes.

Meanwhile, high above the gorge, a woman stood gracefully, her white dress fluttering in the scorching air like a dancing flame.

Her long hair swayed in the heat as she watched Leon and his team below.

A faint smile curved her lips as she whispered,

"Burn in the fire, Leon Cosmod."