CHAPTER 311: EX 311. PROVEN STRENGTH

Eragon could hardly believe what he was seeing. The pressure rolling off Leon’s body wasn’t just strong, it was suffocating. It rippled through the chamber like a tidal wave, bending the air, making the very floor hum beneath their boots. For a long moment, the seasoned Rank 9 professional couldn’t move, couldn’t speak.

And he wasn’t alone.

Elaine, whose calm rarely cracked, stood frozen beneath her blindfold. Her lips parted faintly, as though searching for words that refused to come. Even Francis, the beast chief whose physical might dwarfed most beings alive was staring, golden eyes wide with disbelief.

A nineteen-year-old boy, a mere Rank 4 professional, was emanating the same overwhelming pressure as a peak Rank 7.

If they weren’t witnessing it firsthand, they’d have laughed at the absurdity.

Alexander, however, only smiled. The calm, knowing kind that told them he’d expected this.

"I believe," the emperor said lightly, turning his gaze toward the stunned beast chief, "Leon has met your criteria, Francis."

Francis said nothing at first. His expression shifted, shock giving way to something colder and more analytical. He exhaled slowly, a heavy sigh rumbling from his chest before muttering, almost to himself, "Where was such a monster hiding all this while?"

His tone carried awe but also a hint of unease. Even for one who had lived among the strongest of Pandora’s races, what stood before them defied logic.

It was clear, even to him now, Leon Kael was more than qualified to survive the Hallow.

Eragon, on the other hand, found himself speechless. Every calculated word, every cautious argument he’d prepared moments ago now sounded foolish in his mind. Cultivate the boy? Train him? Nonsense. None of them, not even the combined council, could produce growth like that. Leon was on a trajectory far beyond their understanding.

Still, as he stared at the calm young man, something dark flickered in Eragon’s eyes. ’I must have him,’ he thought, his ambition burning quietly beneath his composed face. ’No matter the cost.’

Then, as suddenly as it began, the pressure dissipated. The air settled and the faint hum faded into silence.

Leon exhaled softly, lowering his head slightly, as if the entire display had been nothing more than a stretch of the muscles.

Inside his mind, Originus’ ancient voice echoed, dry and unimpressed.

’You just had to show off, didn’t you?’

Leon ignored the dragon entirely.

All eyes turned to Alexander again as Elaine spoke, her voice measured but tinged with curiosity.

"You knew the boy possessed such strength all this time," she said. "Why didn’t you mention it?"

Her tone wasn’t accusatory, but both Eragon and Francis leaned forward slightly, clearly waiting for the answer. They’d been caught off guard, and their prides were quietly bruised.

Alexander’s face grew serious for the first time since Leon released his aura.

"It skipped my mind," he said simply. "I suppose I’ve grown used to it."

The chamber went utterly silent.

Even Elaine couldn’t hide her surprise this time. The two other rulers exchanged glances, each silently questioning whether they’d heard correctly. Used to it? Who in their right mind got used to a Rank 4 radiating Rank 7 power?

But Alexander didn’t flinch. His tone was calm, his composure unshaken, as though his explanation made perfect sense.

For a long moment, none of them spoke. Then Francis let out another low sigh, rubbing his temple as though holding back the urge to pull out his hair.

Finally, Alexander clasped his hands together and brought the council’s focus back to the reason they’d gathered. His tone shifted, steady and commanding.

"Now that we know Leon is more than capable of surviving in the Hallow," he said, scanning each of them in turn, "the question remains when do we tackle it?"

The chamber, still heavy with the remnants of Leon’s suppressed power, fell into a tense quiet once more. But this time, it wasn’t doubt that lingered in the air.

It was anticipation.

****

As the discussion returned to focus, the lingering shock in the chamber slowly gave way to measured calm. Elaine was the first to speak, her tone soft but steady beneath the blindfold.

"We might have the means of destroying the cluster out of the way," she said, "but there are other matters that need consideration, the personnel who’ll take part in this mission, the barrier itself, and... a means to resist the pull of the Living Tether."

Alexander nodded in agreement, folding his hands thoughtfully on the table. "The barrier and personnel won’t be an issue," he replied. "For personnel, we can organize a Pandora-wide tournament to select the best of the best, those capable enough to survive what lies within the Hallow."

He paused, his gaze shifting slightly. "As for the barrier, that might prove more complicated... but we do have a potential solution."

Leon tilted his head, understanding instantly what the emperor meant. The barrier of infinity, though a blessing, was also a wall, a creation meant to keep corruption contained, not to be entered. It would repel any foreign presence, even from within Pandora itself. Breaching it would be like trying to cut through eternity.

Francis leaned forward, his beast-like features tensing with curiosity. "And this... means you speak of," he said. "Do you mind enlightening us?"

Alexander’s expression didn’t change, but his answer came with weight. "All I can say," he said quietly, "is that it involves Genevieve."

The moment the name left his lips, Francis fell silent. His brows furrowed, then lifted in understanding. A slow, knowing nod followed. "That might work," he muttered.

Leon noticed how quickly the beast chief’s tone changed at the mention of that name. Whoever Genevieve was, she wasn’t just another mage she was someone capable of doing what others couldn’t.

But Elaine’s voice soon broke through that momentary silence. "And what of the Living Tether?" she asked. "If any of us become corrupted while inside, the entire operation could collapse. It would defeat the purpose of even entering the Hallow in the first place."