Vol. 5 Ch. 60

Claudia led Leon and Rosvisser to a willow tree beside the academy's field.

As they approached, Leon immediately noticed a wooden box lying against the tree. The box was long and narrow, clearly designed for a specific purpose rather than as a general container.

Claudia stepped forward, picked up the box, and gently brushed off the leaves that had fallen on top of it.

Leon pointed at the box. “What’s this, Senior?”

Claudia smiled knowingly and slowly opened the wooden box.

Inside lay a sleek, elongated katana. The handle was a dark blue, and the blade shimmered in the sunlight with a sharp, imposing gleam.

Leon’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Isn’t this my master’s sword?”

Having spent years training under his master, Leon recognized the blade instantly.

Claudia nodded. “That’s right. This is

Thundercloud Blade

, forged from the rarest battle steel in the human territories. It’s a legendary weapon renowned for being ‘sharp enough to cut anything, unbreakable by anything.’”

Leon knew little about the blade’s origins, only that his master had received it as a reward for outstanding service during a certain battle. The empire had commissioned its creation, making it a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

The primary material used in forging the blade, battle steel, was an exceedingly rare metal, prized across the human lands and the entire Samiel continent.

Battle steel was incredibly durable and difficult to break, with extraordinary malleability. Most importantly, it could seamlessly integrate and amplify almost any elemental magic. Fire, wind, water, and even the most volatile and hard-to-control lightning magic could be channeled through the blade, granting it immense elemental power.

“When we last discussed

Thundercloud Blade,

I heard you wanted to inherit new magic and techniques,” Claudia began, “but after nearly draining the resources of my Sea Dragon clan, your master decided to spoil his ‘child’ himself. So, he passed down this blade to you.”

She opened a hidden compartment in the box, revealing a finely bound book. The cover bore only two simple words:

Thundercloud,

written in bold, flowing script unmistakably penned by his master’s hand.

“Take it, Leon. It’s yours now.”

Leon took the wooden box with both hands and gazed at the blade resting inside. His heart swelled with emotion.

“Honestly, I can’t believe Master would give me his beloved sword. He must be so proud.”

Leon recalled a childhood memory of trying to secretly play with

Thundercloud Blade.

Unfortunately, his master had caught him red-handed. After a severe scolding, Leon had been punished to kneel guard duty for a week.

Although the punishment wasn’t harsh by Leon’s standards, the memory stayed with him.

At the time, young Leon didn’t understand why a sword mattered so much. His master had told him the blade symbolized honor, something more precious than life to a knight.

“Why doesn’t Master just hang his ‘honor’ on the wall, then?” young Leon had grumbled while munching on a piece of meat given by his master’s wife.

Now, as an adult, Leon fully understood. Honor wasn’t just an ideal—it was a guiding principle for those who wielded power responsibly.

And for his master to entrust him with

Thundercloud Blade

now, to help him surpass his current limitations, was nothing short of monumental.

Leon’s voice carried a mix of gratitude and curiosity as he spoke.

“Senior, before Master handed this blade to me, the empire had promised to reward me with a weapon too. But they replaced it with a black-gold war chariot instead. Do you know why?”

Claudia chuckled softly. “Your master told me. Even a weapon forged from battle steel couldn’t withstand the sheer force of your lightning magic. The empire’s best craftsmen decided a war chariot would better suit your unique needs, offering both defense and adaptability.”

Leon nodded in understanding.

“So, this blade—

Thundercloud Blade

—will it hold up?”

Claudia clapped her hands lightly. “Don’t worry about that. Your master already considered this. Using my Sea Dragon clan’s methods, we enhanced the blade’s strength significantly.

Thundercloud Blade

is now uniquely tailored for you. No one else could wield its full potential.”

Leon paused, absorbing the significance.

“So… you and Master went to great lengths just to help me break through this bottleneck?”

Claudia smirked. “Of course. You’re the only capable fighter among the younger generation of our circle. Naturally, the best resources should go to you!”

“Being the youngest has its perks, I see,” Leon teased, a rare note of lightness in his tone.

“Enjoy it while it lasts. You might never get pampered like this again,” Claudia replied with a wink.

Leon smiled warmly and bowed slightly.

“Thank you. Please thank Master on my behalf when you see him.”

“I will.”

Claudia’s eyes softened as she looked at Leon. His black eyes sparkled with a rare brightness as he gazed at the blade. It was clear how much he cherished it.

After a moment of silence, Claudia spoke thoughtfully.

“My father once said something about you humans.”

Leon raised a brow. “What about us?”

“He said humans seem to place great value on inheritance. One of his old friends once told him: ‘You toil your whole life, only for dust to return to dust, and earth to earth. But what you leave behind for the next generation endures.’”

Claudia’s voice grew softer.

“That’s how humans grow—slowly but steadily. And now, your master’s blade has passed to you.”

She fixed him with a firm gaze.

“Leon, don’t let your master’s expectations go unfulfilled.”

Leon’s expression grew serious, and he nodded resolutely.

“I won’t, Senior.”

Claudia smiled, satisfied.

“Well, that’s all I needed to say. Oh, by the way, did you get any news from the Tower Master?”

Leon’s demeanor shifted, and he recounted what he had learned.

“Shadow’s ‘great creation’ seems to be something called the ‘Ultimate Fear.’ After the ancient Dragon King Noah cleansed the dragon civil war, they sealed it within the Primordial Dragon King.”

Leon explained everything about the

Ultimate Fear,

its origins, and its connection to Noah.

Claudia’s expression turned grim as she processed this information.

“If this were made public, it would cause panic across all dragonkind. And… have you located Noah’s soul?”

Leon nodded. “Found it. Noah’s soul resides in my house.”

Claudia raised an eyebrow. “Not

that

Noah. I mean the Noah who’s…” She gestured first at her thigh, then higher to her temple.

Leon blinked. “That Noah’s soul is also in my house.”

Claudia was stunned. “Wait, are you serious?!”

Rosvisser stepped in, her tone brisk.

“Yes. The Primordial Dragon King’s soul is currently residing within Noa’s consciousness. It’s gathering strength, preparing for the day it must battle

Ultimate Fear

again.”

Leon nodded in agreement. “Exactly.”

Claudia clenched her fists. “You two… don’t just drop terrifying revelations like this as if it’s nothing!”

Even someone as worldly as Claudia found the situation with Noah’s soul hard to believe. But there was no doubt that the Melkvey family’s challenges were anything but ordinary.