Chapter 184: Brother’s Love [1]

He tried to run, but his broken rib flared with pain and he had to hold his chest. Then he saw the red energy swirling around her and his eyes went wide.

’No. She used almost everything on that seal!’

She had spent nearly all her mana to hold Zeus in place. Now her body was weak and that strange energy was all around her. She was in far more danger than the other warriors.

Leon gritted his teeth and started toward her.

But Zeus had already noticed her. His crimson eyes moved to the girl and for a moment he looked like he was thinking. Then he remembered who she was.

’Ah... It’s her from before.’

A cold smile spread across his face.

"Look at that, the little rat I caught earlier and the reason I lost my arm."

His face twisted with hatred.

Leon saw where he was looking and panic flooded his chest.

"Wait!" He clutched his ribs and forced himself forward. "Where do you think you’re going?! Stop right there!"

Zeus did not even look at him. He walked toward Emilia with slow, calm steps and his remaining hand hanging loose at his side.

Emilia tried to crawl backward. Her arms shook and her tired body barely listened to her.

"N-no..."

She tried to push herself away but the red energy only made her weaker.

Zeus raised his hand. A thick strand of crimson liquid shot out of the mass around his body and stretched through the air like a living tentacle. Before Emilia could react it wrapped around her hair and yanked her off the ground.

"AAAGH!"

Her head snapped back and her feet dangled above the snow.

"Let go of me! LET GO!"

She grabbed at the red strand and tried to pull it loose, but her fingers had almost no strength left.

Zeus looked at her with cold hate.

"You little rat."

He tightened his grip and forced her to look at him.

"If it were not for you I would still have my arm. I should have killed you the first time I caught you."

Red energy gathered around his hand. The liquid pressed together into a dense mass over his fist and grew brighter and brighter until a sharp, cross-shaped glimmer appeared in the center. The air around it twisted from the pressure.

Emilia’s eyes widened. For the first time real fear filled her face.

"B-Brother..."

’No...’ Leon’s eyes widened as he stared at Emilia lying helplessly on the ground.

’Stand up...’ His fingers trembled. ’Stand up, please... get up.’

But his own body was barely holding together. His broken rib throbbed and the pain spreading through his chest made even the simplest movement difficult.

Yet none of that mattered to him anymore.

All he could see was his little sister.

Memories flooded his mind, one after another.

Emilia teasing him whenever he acted too proud of himself. Their playful arguments at home, when she would complain about him stealing food from her plate, only for him to steal another bite just to annoy her.

He remembered the warmth of their home, the ordinary days they had spent together as siblings.

The mornings when they would leave for the academy together.

Those little moments that had once seemed so insignificant now felt unbearably precious.

He had always protected her.

Whenever someone tried to bully her, Leon had been the first to step forward. Whenever danger threatened to reach her, he had made sure he stood between them. He had always believed that, as her older brother, it was his responsibility to keep her safe.

No matter what happened, he would never let anyone hurt her.

That was the promise he had made to himself.

And now, his body refused to move. His legs wouldn’t obey him.

He couldn’t even reach her.

’No... no, no, no...’ His breathing grew ragged as desperation clawed at his chest.

Then, amid the countless memories flooding his mind, he remembered her voice.

"I’m proud of you, Brother Leon."

Cecilia saw Emilia in Zeus’s hands and her blood ran cold.

"No!"

She dropped the last spikes without a second thought and let her mana field collapse as she turned toward Zeus.

"That girl...!"

She felt how much energy was packed into his fist and her eyes went wide.

"With that much power, it will kill her instantly!"

She spun around to Adrian.

"YOU IDIOT! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! USE YOUR CLAPPING TECHNIQUE OR WHATEVER!"

Adrian was already trying. His jaw was tight as he forced mana through his body.

"I’m trying! It’s not working!"

He snapped his fingers again.

CLAP!

Nothing happened. His eyes went wide in disbelief.

"What the hell is going on?!"

Cecilia clicked her tongue.

"Tch!"

There was no time to figure it out. She sprinted toward Zeus and poured every bit of spare mana into her legs. Adrian ran right behind her with his sword gripped tight.

"Hang on, girl!"

But they were too far away. Much too far.

Zeus raised his red glowing fist and looked straight into Emilia’s terrified face.

"Die, you foolish girl!"

He drove his fist forward.

SHLUK!

The sound was sickeningly wet. A crimson flash tore through the air.

And then everything stopped.

Isabella and Arvendis arrived at the Central Sector and jumped down from the path that led into the ruined battlefield. Isabella landed lightly with her green mana trailing behind her like leaves in the wind. She stood up and looked ahead.

"Finally. We have reached..."

Her words died in her throat and her eyes went wide.

A moment later Theodore landed beside them. His eyes swept over the battlefield and then froze on the scene in front of him. His whole face changed.

"...What?"

None of them could believe what they were seeing.

At almost the same time a golden dragon dropped from the sky. Its huge wings beat against the air as it landed on the broken ground. Alden and Luna jumped off its back right away, and Alden ran forward before the dragon had even settled.

"Quick! We don’t have time to waste! We need to get to..."

His voice stopped. His whole body went stiff. His eyes opened wide and for a moment he seemed to forget how to breathe.

"L-Leon...?"

Ahead of him stood Zeus.

His crimson fist had gone all the way through Leon’s chest. The hand came out from the other side, stained with blood, while blue lightning flickered weakly around Leon’s body.

Leon stood perfectly still.

And Zeus’s left arm was still buried in his chest.