n

n

nLeonel weakly dragged his body into the gates of the Fort. His eyes were half closed and his steps were so small it hardly looked like he was taking them at all, but he eventually made it.

nEvery part of his body felt as though it was on his last legs. Even he was quite surprised that he was still alive. It could only be said that the human capacity for survival was very large.

n

"… Hello? Hello!

"

nLeonel's head shook as he suddenly felt someone was calling out to him. He looked up to find the very same Tier 2 Officer Doran standing across from him, a blinding flashlight waving in his hand.

nLeonel squinted, finding it difficult to look at the light.

n'Why the hell is this guy waving something like this in my face?'

nIt was safe to say that Leonel was at the end of his rope. He was lacking in both sleep and strength, so even if he was a saint, his fuse would be much shorter. In that moment, he even had the faint will to gather this massive ax he was dragging one more time and cleave this bastard in two.

nIn the end, he managed to restrain himself.

n

"… Do you think you can just ignore me? You might be some big shot, but there are still protocols to be followed —

"

nSpittle flew from Doran's lips, some of which even attached itself to his bushy mustache as he tried to interrogate Leonel.

nHe wasn't exactly wrong. Leonel and Aina had left their Perimeter before their post could be taken over, this was already an offense. On top of this, they failed to return with the military jeep they were assigned — yet another offense. Now, Doran had already asked Leonel several questions, to which he got no answers. And, of course, this was another offense.

nRight now, they were still in a Code Red: Class 9 state. In such a state, crimes had punishments several times harsher than the norm. Even something as mundane and benign as shoplifting might get one 20 or more years in prison.

nWhen the offenses were related to military order, the punishments would be even harsher as military law tended to be.

nLeonel and Aina weren't official members of the military, which might still lighten their sentence. After all, the Fort was strapped for helping hands and every powerful individual was worth a lot. Doran obviously knew this, but he felt dissatisfied because he thought Leonel was ignoring him.

nClearly, Doran didn't realize that the reason he was still a TIer 2 Officer was because of his own stupidity. Considering the state of Leonel, who would assume that he was ignoring a person instead of realizing he was an arrow at the end of his flight?

nLeonel's barely opened eyes slowly opened wider. The action seemed to take all of his strength, but what Doran saw made him stumble backward uncontrollably, finally allowing the blinding light to move from Leonel.

nA beast. A wild beast that might lash out at any moment. That was what he saw.

nA roar assaulted his mind as he fell to the ground.

nCold shivers and sweats traveled through his back as he stared up at Leonel, eyes filled with fear.

nThe other Officers looked toward Doran with weird expressions. Leonel hadn't done anything but look at him. Was there a need to react like this?

nLeonel slowly walked by the fallen Tier 2 Officer. He only had thoughts of finally resting. He just had to make it back to his bed. No.. Any bed would do, he wasn't picky.

nThen, he could sleep for a whole week and forget about all of this.

nAt that moment, more bright lights blocked Leonel's path. But, this time, they didn't come from a flashlight, but rather a few vehicles. Beneath the night sky, their high-lights made Leonel's eyes burn.

nThe frustration in Leonel's heart grew deeper. He just wanted to sleep. Why were all of these people continually blocking his way?

nHe was already so close to home. He had walked through the outer city, through the illusion mist, and into the inner city. He had been moments away from his bed when he suddenly found the mansion he had been given was surrounded by a few shuttles.

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"Leonel Morales, the Junior Governor Duke would like to have a few words with you.

"

nAt this point, Leonel felt a boiling anger in his chest.

nA word with him? Right now? They didn't send medical personnel or even ask if he was alright, but instead asked him to drag his body to see some Governor Duke's son who couldn't even bother to appear himself?

nLeonel didn't even care about the fact that the Junior Governor Duke's appearance here meant that he had cleared an A-grade Zone. Compared to what he had just been through, could an A-grade Zone even be comparable?

nHowever, with so many shuttles around him, maybe even equipped with weapon technology Leonel couldn't imagine, what could he even do? He found himself too tired even to express his rage.

nOthers believed that Leonel was very mild tempered, and that he was. But there was something about himself that James had pointed out on the day of the National Championship.

nLeonel knew that James was trying to throw the game. He also knew that his friend must have had his reasons. However, he couldn't decide between his best friend and a game he had already won three times before.

nJames was like a brother to him. They had stayed side by side for four years. Anyone else, for the sake of such a friendship, might have acquiesced that one time and lost the game on purpose.

nYet, instead of doing so, Leonel found a method to both not hurt his friend while also winning the game in the end.

nOf course, having known Leonel for so long, James saw through his friend with ease. Others may have thought that Leonel was simply unaware, but James knew that while Leonel was soft hearted, what he hated the most was losing.

nLeonel's insistence on his father's mantra of Persistence and Respect might sound like a kid just idolizing his father, however, it was deeper than that. It was so deep that Leonel himself didn't recognize it, only those who were the closest to him did… Just like James.

nSo, when Leonel was making his way to the Junior Governor Duke's residence with a bubbling rage in his chest he could do nothing about, that hidden beast kept lashing out.

nThe aura around him became insufferable. Even the veteran soldiers around him felt like it was difficult to breathe. Only those Tier 5 veterans like Admiral Millan just barely managed to keep their knees from knocking together.

nSoon, weak body and all, Leonel found himself in the living room of a mansion far more luxurious than his own. Everything seemed flooded with gold and white as though the Sun God Apollo was the owner of the residence.

nStill, there was no sign of the Junior Governor Duke. It wasn't until Leonel heard a pair of voices that he realized there was a ledge above the living room that was being fed into by a pair of curved stairs.

nUnfortunately, he felt too weak to raise his head, he could only barely see the shoes of the two above him and make out that they were two men.

n

"Miles, I really have to thank you this time. Without your help, I don't think I could ever get revenge for my fallen comrades.

"

n

"Is there even a need for such words between us, Simeon? Plus, my Governor Duke Family has an obligation to keep law and order. Whether you came forward or not, there would be appropriate punishments.

"

n

"It seems I've worried too much, then. The Leum Family is indeed trustworthy.

"

nThe words of the two young men stopped. Leonel could faintly guess that they were looking down the ledge and toward him.

n

"Leonel Morales. Aina Brazinger.

" The voice of the man called Miles filled Leonel's ears. From their conversation, Leonel could understand that he must be the Junior Governor Duke.

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"We have evidence that you've cooperated to slay six citizens of our Ascension Empire. Even without Martial Law, the penalty would be death. As citizens of the Empire, you have the right to know what you are being imprisoned for, so I have told you. Escort them to the basement. They will remain there until the trial.

"

nThe young man spoke with indifference. To him, the trial was just a facade. The two of them were as good as dead.

nWell… Leonel would die. As for the girl on his back, she would be sent off in chains to the Brazinger Family.

nLeonel came to understand something. He had been a bit naive. He hadn't thought much about what would happen here since they were entering a mansion. If they were in trouble, shouldn't they have been directly sent to the jails?

nBut it was then he understood. For two Variants like them… Miles' illusion ability was the best kind of trap.

nLeonel barely struggled to raise his head and only then did he see the faces of the two young men.

nOne of them had a bright head of white-gold hair that almost looked like the mane of a lion. As for the other, Leonel's vision was too blurred to see most of his features, but what he did see was the monocle over his left eye. No… one would be hard pressed to call it a monocle at all. It had eight lenses that seemed to hover in space in a circular formation.

n