CHAPTER 54: EX 54. REBORN

As the radiant knowledge surged into Leon’s mind, it felt like the very fabric of his soul was being rewritten—rewoven by truths far beyond mortal comprehension.

Each strand of information lit up his neurons with revelation after revelation, until his head felt like it would split open from the pressure.

And then—

Evaporation.

Like mist vanishing under a rising sun, the bulk of the knowledge began to fade. Not by force, but by necessity. His mortal mind couldn’t contain all of it. If it tried, it would break.

But the important pieces stayed—

Etched into his being like scripture on stone.

The stream of knowledge slowed... then ceased.

Leon took his hand off the glass sun, fingers trembling slightly as the lingering warmth pulsed against his palm. He stared at it with wide, thoughtful eyes—his voice low and bitter with clarity.

"I’ve really been wasting my talent all this while..."

It hit him like a slap. After all the grinding, he had only been scratching the surface of what his talent could truly do.

"So... the effects of my stat points can be multiplied... by how stressed I am when I assign them."

He laughed weakly. There was no joy in it. Only a biting edge of irony.

"Then maybe this demon impaling my chest was just punishment... for never even trying to understand it."

But that didn’t mean he’d forgive the creature. No. Not for Elizabeth and not for himself.

The serpent, still ramming into the void’s barrier, had become background noise now. A distant irritation. The phantom pain of Leon’s chest wound no longer distracted him—his resolve was sharper than the agony.

And then it appeared before his eyes.

---

[STATUS PANEL]

Name: Leon Kael

Race: Human

Age: 19

Class: Warrior

Rank: F-Rank

Talent: {Attack} — EX Rank

Status: Critical

Health: 10%

[STATS]

Strength: 806

Senses: 705

Vitality: 676

Stamina: 671

Speed: 689

Aura: 701

[SKILLS]

[Echolocation]

[Mirror Split]

[Phantom Edge – Form 1: Flicker Fang]

[INVENTORY]

---

For the first time since he awakened his power, Leon saw his health drop below 100%.

But instead of dread, his eyes glinted with a wild, calculated hope.

"This... this means my stress is off the charts. Which means..."

He opened the TALENT PANEL.

[ATTACK POINTS: 10,000 / 10,000]

"All my points are going to be gone..." he muttered, staring at the full bar with clenched fists. "Damn it, this is going to mess with my OCD."

The serpent coiled, readying for its final charge—cracks spider webbing across the barrier like shattering glass.

Leon breathed in.

"No time for that. Burn all points into Vitality."

---

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[Body in critical condition. Activating multiplier.]

[Analyzing physiological and psychological stress levels...]

[Multiplier detected: x10]

[Applying stat amplification...]

[+1,000,000 to Vitality]

---

And then—

Boom.

The world around him changed.

An unstoppable torrent of restorative energy surged through Leon’s entire body. Every cell, every fragment of his being, was reignited as if the divine itself was pouring life back into him.

His Health bar didn’t just climb.

It rocketed—

10% 100% 300% 999% 147,929%

---

The thin radiant barrier that had barely held the serpent at bay flared like a newborn star. The cracks sealed instantly, healing with pure, luminous power.

The serpent, sensing the sudden shift, tried to retreat—but it was already too late.

A blinding pulse exploded outward—

The radiant aura detonated like a holy nova, engulfing the serpent in light so pure and overwhelming that it erased it. There was no scream, no resistance only annihilation.

The beast that had hunted his soul was now dust in the void.

And at the center of it all, surrounded by crackling light and infinite possibility, stood Leon Kael.

Reborn.

****

In the real world, Elizabeth lay broken, her trembling fingers still clutching the edge of Leon’s uniform where he’d fallen beside her. Her breaths were shallow. Her body barely clung to consciousness. And yet, her eyes remained glued to his chest—to the place where the demon’s claw had torn him through.

Then—

A flicker of golden light danced across Leon’s skin.

Making her breath hitch at the sight.

The gaping hole in his chest, once a grotesque wound, began to close at a terrifying speed. Muscle wove itself back into place. Bone knitted in real time.

The jagged tear in his flesh sealed without leaving a scar. Within seconds, it was as if the wound had never existed.

Elizabeth could only stare in stunned silence.

And then—

Leon’s eyes snapped open.

A soft gasp escaped her lips as their gazes met. But before she could say a word, Leon turned sharply—his expression shifting to a deep, protective frown the moment he saw her state.

Her once-glossy raven hair had turned snow white. Her skin was pale, almost translucent, and her lips were dry and cracking.

The effort she had used to amplify her undead had clearly come at a devastating price.

Without hesitation, Leon rose to his feet.

"Don’t worry, Lizzy..." he said, his voice strong and calm, but laced with emotion. "I’ll get you help."

He bent down and scooped her into a princess carry, his arms firm and steady. Elizabeth, still reeling from the shock of his sudden recovery, could barely speak.

But as the warmth of his arms surrounded her, her body relaxed, and she gave a weak nod—trusting him completely.

From the corner of his eye, Leon saw the battle still raging above.

But the tide had changed.

Rebecca Sky now dominated the fight.

The demon—once mighty and untouchable—had clearly suffered a backlash. Its aura was ragged. It’s transformation had collapsed and its overwhelming pressure faded.

Now, Rebecca’s lightning danced across the sky like divine punishment, forcing the demon to dodge, defend, and retreat.

"Serves you right," Leon muttered coldly.

Just then, a rustle came from the nearby bush.

Leon instinctively turned, ready to strike—until he saw a familiar face step through the foliage.

Adrian.

Sweaty, bruised, and a bit disheveled—but very much alive.

Leon’s expression lightened slightly. "You’re okay."

Adrian gave a firm nod. His eyes flickered to Elizabeth, then back to Leon with silent understanding.

"We need to find a way out of here," Leon said.

Adrian nodded again. "Agreed."

Then—

[Can you hear me]

A voice echoed in Leon’s mind.

Not a spoken one.

A direct message—crisp and precise, transmitted mentally.

It was Rebecca Sky.

And she had something urgent to say.

...

A/N: Mass release if the book gets up to 10 review before Thursday.