CHAPTER 39: SHINRA INCIDENT [9]

"Now!"

At Leon’s command, Eula parted her lips and whispered the first line of the incantation.

"O Wind that carves the sky in light, O Water patient night—"

Mana shifted and swirled, cascading around her, wrapping her in vivid, flowing arms.

She spoke the second line.

"O Wind that drives the storming flight, O Water boundless might—"

The clouds split apart, curling into a monstrous grin. From its hollow maw poured a surge of violet light.

She finished the third line.

"Descend, and bring forth... Heaven Strike!"

Lucian turned toward the voice, but it was already too late.

Ting—!

A metallic screech split the air as the sky tore in two. The sky grumbled as rain started to pour relentlessly.

A pillar of violet lightning massive as a fortress tower, ripped down from the sky, fell straight on Lucian’s head.

"AGGHHHHHH!!" he screamed in pain.

His extra arms burned away, and the charred remnants of his clothes clung to his scorched flesh.

Seeing an opening, Ethan roared and charged, his blade cutting through the air aimed toward Lucian’s neck.

Shhhhk—!

"...!?"

Lucian’s neck snapped toward Ethan, twisting at an inhuman angle.

The blade barely grazed his burned flesh on his neck before he jerked away.

A violent gush of blood poured from his injury before his grip on the [Soul Eater] tightened.

Fixing his gaze on Ethan, he began to draw Dark Mana again.

"I will kil—"

Sprut—-!

But before he did so, he saw a silver blade punched through his back, piercing straight into his heart.

"Huh?"

"Your role ends here."

A cold voice devoid of any emotion came from behind.

Lucian’s brain didn’t process, as an overwhelming surge of warmth spread over his body from the place where the blade pierced.

The warmth surged through every fibre of his, clashing against the Dark Mana inside his body.

Lucian understood what it was.

"Light... Affinity?"

He looked down at his pierced heart, and towards Ethan.

His eyes dropped to the glowing blade in his chest, then to Ethan. Ethan was the only one capable of wielding Light. That’s what he thought.

Slowly, his gaze turned to the source.

Black hair, and golden eyes. The half golden crown crest on a ruffled coat. He knew this man.

Leon Valentine.

The third heir of the Valentine Dukedome. The person whose sole existence was for mockery. A pathetic bastard who was lower than a worm.

"H–How...?"

Sprut—-!

"GUHH-!"

Another sword pierced his throat from the front, as his attention yanked away from Ethan.

The [Soul Eater] slipped from his grasp, and fell with a dramatic thud in the floor.

Lucian reached for it, but his hands found only empty air.

"This time, don’t miss," Leon said, eyes on Ethan.

Ethan smirked.

"I am not an idiot."

SLASH—!

In one swift motion, he severed Lucian’s head.

Leon, still holding the blade in Lucian’s chest, twisted hard and with a violent jerk split the demon’s torso clean in half.

"Haaah... Haaahh...Haaaahh..."

Panting, Leon slid his blade back into its sheath and looked down at the corpse.

Three pieces now lay scattered on the ground... a horned head, and two halves of a body.

Blood and bones spilled onto the floor, pooling in a grotesque display of some horror finale.

Turning to look at Ethan, he saw him panting. The blade from Ethan’s hand fell on the ground as he squatted down holding his head.

"It...it ended," he muttered.

Leon understands the reason for his breakdown.

’Ah, it was his first time killing a Primordial.’

The battle was tough, at some point Ethan almost gave up. But at last it all ended.

Lifting his head up, Ethan said to Leon.

"Thank you. If you hadn’t shown up when you did, I might not be standing here right now."

It was the truth, and it was only part of the reason Leon froze Lucian in place. The other reason was simple: he needed a moment to lay out his plan to Eula and Ethan, to make sure the surprise strike landed exactly as he intended.

"No, it wasn’t me alone, you and Eu—Ah... I mean, you and that kind lady did the most of the work. And it was because of her that Lucian got distracted in the first place."

"..."

Ethan didn’t say much, instead he glanced at the roof, where she was standing.

"She’s from Twilight Order, right?" he asked.

Leon didn’t agree, but replied dryly.

"I don’t know, I just met her today."

"Wait really?" Ethan narrowed his gaze, "you two looked as if you both knew each other very well."

"That’s not true." A feminine voice came from beside Leon.

"Ah."

Both Ethan and Leon froze.

It was Eula, standing right beside Leon, arms folded, glaring at him.

’Oh, she looks pissed. Well, she did see me using Light Affinity.’

"I only met him today," Eula casually explained, still glaring at Leon.

"Right..." Ethan awkwardly scratched his cheek.

Seeing their exchange, Leon changed the subject.

"This is not the time to chat. Thanks to this kind lady’s magic show," Leon pointed at Eula, "we’ve attracted the whole capital’s attention. It’s only a matter of minutes before the Royal Force and the Authority find us."

The three-line incantation that Eula performed was quite the spectacle, and for a brief moment it illuminated and shook all of Shinra to its core.

"Right," Eula agreed. "My team will collect the demon’s belongings, so you two better go—"

"No."

It was Ethan who interrupted.

"What?" Eula raised his eyebrow.

"You two leave this to me. The royals won’t cause any trouble or investigation if they see that it was me who killed the demon."

Ethan explained.

The king knew that Ethan wielded the Light Affinity, and that he was the only one capable of defeating a Primordial Demon.

If he took the credit, then Leon’s name would not come up.

There was a reason Ethan didn’t want the King to know there was another Light Affinity user in the kingdom.

Leon knew the reason, but hiding it well, he put on a confused expression.

"What if they interrogate you?"

"They won’t," Ethan said with confidence.

"Alright, if you say so," Leon replied. "There must be a reason you don’t want them to find out about me, right?"

Ethan smiled, "you’re smart."

"Heh, I won’t ask you now, but I want you to tell me one day," Leon said with a smirk.

"Of course. Now go."

Glancing at Eula, Leon turned toward the alley road leading to District Four.

"Ah, right," he said, pointing at the Soul Eater. "That sword, ask them not to touch it directly."

"I know." Eula replied, picking it up with her leather gloves.

Leaving Ethan behind, they both strolled toward the alley.

A few seconds later, Eula spoke while walking beside him.

"Kind Lady, huh." Eula said.

"What else do you want me to say? Second princess of Liora?"

"You would be dead before you even realize. Anyways, what was that skill that you used?"

"Hm?" Leon raised his gaze. "My skill? Are you not going to ask how I could use Light Affinity?"

"That was supposed to be my next question."

"Heh, what if I don’t want to share?"

"Then I won’t force you."

"Oh, how nice of you, princess." He sneered.

Then, glancing at her face hiding behind the eye mask, he asked.

"So, would the princess be giving me a vice-commander position in the Twilight Order now that she’s seen my strength?"

"Don’t be so full of yourself."

As the conversation went on, Leon felt a sudden throbbing sensation on his head.

’Shit, it’s starting.’

A line appeared in front of his vision.

[Major Plot change Detected]

[Calculating Reward]

[Reward : 3 Fate Points]

[Rewarded Successfully]

’Oh, that’s nice.’

Leon’s eyes lit up the moment he saw those lines.

’I thought for sure I’d be going into a coma.’

"Hey," Eula interrupted, giving him a glance, "you’re bleeding."

"What?"

It was then Leon noticed that his eye sockets were dripping blood.

His vision turned reddish, and he stumbled toward the wall for support.

"Hey, hold still."

Eula came closer, steadying him.

His vision blurred, and the last thing he felt was Eula slapping his face multiple times to keep him conscious.