Dimensional Descent

Leonel’s wrist trembled.

He had to admit, this was the greatest strength he had come across since his battle with his grandfather.

It was cute.

Chi.

BANG!

A hole was blasted through Xor’Thar’s chest.

The Pluto was sent flying backward with such speed he vanished over the horizon in less than a blink.

Leonel’s hair danced in the wind, his King’s robes flapping as though they had a mind of their own.

”If you came here today and fail to treat me as an equal, you, and everyone you’ve brought with you, will die.

”If you came here today to treat me as an equal… you and everyone you’ve brought with you will die.

”Only if you came here ready to place your life on the line, and scratch and claw for every advantage you gain, might you have a chance at touching the hems of my robes.”

Leonel’s voice boomed across the battlefield.

It had only just fallen when an old Pluto appeared before him. The expression of the man was calm, but there was a deathly sort of furious momentum to his presence.

It only took a glance for Leonel to feel that this was the strongest Pluto he had ever personally faced: the Ancestor of the Plutos, Theos’Ryn.

This man was so old that he was among the very same group of Plutos that gave the Human Race a chance to escape.

Unfortunately for him, Leonel didn’t have even the slightest bit of gratitude in his heart. When he looked at the Pluto now, all he saw was a sea of ungrateful has-beens that had a fondness for overestimating themselves.

The skies fell into silence as a sea of Plutos began to appear one after another.

A shadow descended from above. A leg of stars, an arm of celestial bodies. They were all larger than life, their scythes carrying the souls of entire worlds.

There were many stories across history and legends that told of Gods descending onto the world, a single lone man standing before them, carrying the weight of hopes and dreams on his shoulders.

Leonel had gotten used to that weight long ago. Even staring at this scene now, facing off against the Gods that he had only been able to look up to in the past, his expression was as calm as could be.

”No…” he said softly. ”… I’m trying to recall… but I really can’t remember a time I ever looked up to any of you…”

The words were soft and out of place. But with the strength of those present, it was impossible that they didn’t hear them, these genuine words that came from the depths of his heart.

”If you are the only one with this level of strength, then it won’t make a difference,” Theos’Ryn said coldly.

Leonel blinked. ”I don’t think I ever said that I was? Well, if my wife asks, I can and would beat her ten out of ten times no matter how strong she is. But as far as you’re concerned, there’s at least one other that could punch a hole through your chest.”

”Two is not enough,” Theos’Ryn replied just as coldly, the gravelly texture of his voice practically grating across the clouds.

”Why don’t we just skip to the final part?” Leonel suddenly asked.

Theos’Ryn’s eyes narrowed. But before he could react, Leonel swiped out with his spear, a line appearing in the depths of space to reveal an eye larger than the world itself.

Ancestor of the Void Race, Thal’Vren.

Space trembled and pulled itself apart. Leonel didn’t do much after his swipe, and yet Thal’Vren’s presence seemed to make the space itself scared to repair itself.

However, Leonel was still shaking his head.

”I feel like I’m surrounded by idiots all of the time. First, the so-called God Beast of Destruction didn’t realize that he was a pawn, and now two of the strongest Races in existence are still in the dark.

”You never ask the obvious questions. Why is it that of all the Races, only your Void and Pluto Races use your odd nomenclature? Do you remember when it started? Why it started? Or did you just start naming your sons El’Rion instead of Elrion for fun?”

It was only when it was facing its death that the Celestial Terror realized that it had been nothing but a victim of the Demoness’ schemes. And now, it felt like history was replaying itself all over again.

”Do you know what a double-break represents? When I say the name… Van’’Wellia—”

An echo of blood filled the air. The skies turned crimson, the ground sloshing about with currents of red. The dense scent of death filled the air, a suffocating aura choking them down to their very souls.

Van’’Wellia. She was the artist who painted the Last Bloody War, a depiction of the Envoys of Destruction and Creation.

However, her name itself was anything but the death and destruction that was playing out now. Van’’Wellia’s name, when spoken, was beautiful beyond compare, painting a gorgeous flower known as the Dream Lotus…

It was this beauty that somehow gave way to the savagery that hung in the air… it was the most beautiful of souls that finished the Last Bloody War.

Beauty becoming ugly. Creation becoming Destruction. A Dream Lotus carrying nothing but nightmares.

”Is your name really Theos’Ryn?” Leonel looked toward the Pluto Ancestor. ”Or is it Theos’’Ryn?”

The Pluto froze, and Leonel reached forward.

”Little Lion, is there a need for this?”

A voice filled with a sultry air danced through the skies, but it was almost as though Leonel hadn’t heard it at all as he tapped the Ancient Pluto’s body.

Theos’Ryn couldn’t even react to Leonel’s touch.

”You see that you’re a pawn now, right?” Leonel said lightly. ”Unfortunately for you, you’re too much of a fool to realize it in time. So, instead, how about you just die for your sins instead?”

Theos’Ryn began to crumble before the eyes of everyone present. It wasn’t just him; one powerful Pluto after another fell to ash.

No one knew how to react. No one knew how to understand what was happening.

Leonel could summarize it quite well, though.

He had finally stepped off the Demoness’ chessboard.

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