A blur of high-speed swordplay erupted between them.
Leo pushed himself to his absolute limit, his body reacting instinctively to the alarm bells screaming in his mind. Yet every strike was parried and returned in kind.
Leo leaped back to create distance. He realized his heart was hammering against his ribs with painful intensity. He looked at the boy across from him, who still seemed to have plenty of room to spare.
"Terrifyingly fast... It’s as if the process of 'thought' doesn't even exist for him."
"Who... are you?"
The boy looked to be about the same age as Leo. That fact alone was what shocked him most.
Leo was well aware of his own talent. He had never felt he would lose to anyone in his own age group. In fact, he had trained relentlessly to ensure he never would. And yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that this opponent stood far above his current self.
"When asking for a name, one should provide their own first. That is basic courtesy."
"...Leo. Just Leo."
"I see. Leo. I am Valzak Dragonia—the King of Dragonia, and the one who will bring your destruction."
"............"
Leo had sensed it. He was surprised, yes, but conviction outweighed his shock. He had heard the rumors of a king the same age as him who had orchestrated the Dragonia Revolution.
"Four years ago... before Scarlett was killed, were you the one who delivered the message to Gaia?"
"............"
"Hmph, you’re a transparent fellow. In that case, it was also you who rallied the right wing and overturned my board... I see."
Valzak rested his hand on his chin, lost in thought. In that brief window, the Dragonia Knights gathered, forming a defensive perimeter around their king. On the opposite side, the Arcadia Knights began to assemble as well.
With Gregori’s emblem gone, the Arcadian forces undoubtedly held the advantage in numbers. No matter how strong Valzak was, a single person could not overturn the tide of an entire war.
At that moment, Valzak’s eyes shifted slightly. Leo noticed and followed his gaze.
He was looking at Gregori’s corpse—specifically, the emblem on his left hand.
Valzak flashed a grin at Leo; Leo’s expression mirrored his.
They moved simultaneously. In an instant, both reached their maximum velocity.
Clang!
Their blades locked directly over Gregori’s body.
"What?! I thought you were just some dazed kid, but you're actually quite sharp!"
"This is the victory Iricobert-san fought for! I won't let you take it!"
If Crest Power were supplied through the emblem on Gregori’s corpse, the battlefield they had just reclaimed would revert to its original state. It would be exactly what Leo had done for the infantry on the right wing.
Any Master Emblem could achieve that effect. However, almost no one would ever enter a battlefield without already utilizing the Crest Power of thousands. To do otherwise would be a waste; one might as well have prepared more soldiers from the start.
But a King was different. A King could raise his soldiers again and again.
Leo and Valzak’s blades ground against each other.
If I defeat him... the war will end... then...
Leo shifted his mindset. If he could defeat this boy here and now with everything he had, it would all be over. The Dragonia invasion would cease, and Arcadia would be victorious.
That was why—
Concentrate.
"—!?"
For the first time, Valzak was forced back.
Leo pursued him. He accelerated. Then, he accelerated even more. Valzak tried to strike down every blow, but Leo pushed his speed even further.
A single strike grazed Valzak’s arm. The two leaped apart once more. Red blood dripped onto the soil, and Valzak’s brow furrowed as he looked at the wound.
"............Innate talent? It seems such people exist in every world. Unrefined, yet I feel a sense of awe."
However, it was Leo who dropped to one knee.
At the same moment he had cut Valzak, Leo had been struck as well. His thigh had been slashed wide open, and red blood flowed incessantly. It wasn't a fatal wound, but the agonizing pain confirmed it was deep. More importantly, an injury to the thigh destroyed his mobility.
Leo was clearly the one who had taken the worse of the exchange.
"Just like Iricobert... I might as well kill you while I'm at it."
Valzak began to walk forward, one slow step at a time. Leo gripped his sword and forced himself to stand. However, despite his resolve, his leg muscles had been severed; his thigh refused to move no matter how much strength he poured into it.
How could he possibly face this opponent without his speed? Cold sweat matted his brow.
He might die. And if he died, Iricobert would be finished, the tide would turn, and everyone else would be slaughtered.
They would all die.
I really... don't want that.
Leo stood up slowly. He moved with quiet, undeniable certainty. He gripped his sword with absolute resolve.
"—!?"
Valzak’s eyes widened, and he actually took a step back.
Had he been overwhelmed? He, whom even the Four Dragons served?
Refusing to believe it, Valzak suppressed his instincts and leveled his sword to charge. However, the Sword Aura radiating from Leo was so intense it forced Valzak’s instincts to scream again, a cold sweat breaking out across his own skin.
"—I'll correct myself. I need to kill you right here. For certain."
It was then that a voice interrupted.
"Leo has a date with me later, so I can't let you kill him."
"Hmm? And you are...?"
A red-haired girl stepped between the two. It was Flare. She glanced back at Leo.
"My squad is fine. Laphroaig-san was injured and moved to the rear, so I came running up here because I was worried about you."
She gave him a bright smile before turning her back to him. Drawing her sword, she faced Valzak.
"You're acting all high and mighty, but Leo saved the right wing and then ran all the way up this hill. He’s exhausted from fighting battle after battle. Isn't it a bit cowardly to pick on him now? Especially for a king."
Valzak’s brow twitched, but he immediately lunged. He struck at Flare with the same blinding swordplay that had grounded Leo.
But Flare caught the blow. She didn't just block it—she countered.
Startled, Valzak retreated a step.
"Ho..."
"Flare............ you’re so strong."
Leo had known she was capable, but he hadn't imagined she was strong enough to trade blows with Valzak. Just who was she?
Valzak studied Flare’s appearance, his eyes lingering on her features before he spoke.
"That red hair, those eyes, that sword style... I see. You are the daughter of the Crimson Sword Princess—the daughter of Gaia."
"Oh? My reputation has reached all the way to Dragonia? How embarrassing. Sorry, my mom's genes are just a bit too strong."
"I heard she was a Kingdom-Toppling Beauty. Her daughter is certainly just as strong... and beautiful."
"Ahaha! What’s this? Are you hitting on me in the middle of a war? Planning to make me a concubine or something?"
"Heh... I think I'll pass. I have a feeling I’d be murdered in my sleep."
The two shared a brief, tense laugh before leveling their swords again.
"If you're prepared to die, then step forward, Dragon King," Flare declared. "I'm the one protecting Leo."
"I don't dislike strong-willed women," Valzak replied. "Flare Featherfield."