The Scholars of the Three Finger Cult outnumbered even the number of invaders that had appeared earlier. Each of them wore scholarly red robes, their shoulders graced by ribbons that made it look more like they were on their way to graduate from a prestigious college rather than about to unleash a slaughter on the Human Domain.
Leonel's face couldn't help but contort with disdain. "What trash uniforms. Seriously uncool. Who decided on this design? Don't you all feel embarrassed?"
The atmosphere was quite tense at the moment, especially after the momentum of Velasco's strength settled in. These people had spent their lives hearing stories about this man, many of them even disparaging him as a weakling behind closed doors. However, standing face to face with him now, they couldn't seem to find those words ridiculous.
When that feeling was suddenly fueled by Leonel's disdain-layered words, these stone-faced Scholars almost blushed with shame. If it wasn't for their supreme control, many really would have shown such an expression, but they just barely managed to ignore Leonel.
Velasco looked down toward Leonel, shaking his head. If there was one thing this son of his was good at, it was pissing people off, and that apparently included even him. He had just said such a cool one-liner, and yet the show was stolen by this brat.
Leonel grinned when he saw his father's gaze. "There's quite a lot of corpses here, old man. How about you tell them to bring King out? I could probably deal with them all on my own. Your bones are getting a bit weak, maybe you should go back and relax with mom..."
When Leonel said the word King, the Scholars that had been trying to ignore him all had a change in expression.
"Is that a name that you can say?!"Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
The sudden roar came from a Scholar who stood at the helm. The ripples of his voice left trails through the air. This person was without a doubt a powerhouse even amongst Ancestors, however before the echo reached Leonel, Alienor raised a hand, her frown deep.
Leonel's gaze landed on his mother's wrist, noticing just how much effort it had taken his mother to do that despite the casualness of her actions. His gaze flashed with a dangerous light as he looked up.
"I've yet to come to collect the debt the Three Finger Cult owes me, but it seems that you're actually so eager. Someone actually dares to call themselves King when I exist in this world, and you're mad that I said his name? That's about as much respect as I have for that sore loser."
The eyes of the Scholars opened wide.
How could they not know what Leonel was referring to? What else could it be if not the love triangle of the Silver Emperor, King, and the Demoness? They had all been alive for more than long enough, and been part of the Three Finger Cult upper echelon for enough time, to be aware of these sorts of secrets. But they didn't even dare to say King's name, who would actually dare speak about such things aloud?
However, they were focused on the wrong thing...
BANG!
The head of the Scholar who had just roared suddenly exploded. It came without warning, the only marker being the simple flick of a finger.
Velasco slowly lowered his hand, his expression indifferent. The most powerful of the Scholars was crushed in a single movement as though he wasn't worth more than a single glance. The gap was so exaggerated that the remaining Scholars explosively retreated, their expressions turning heavy.
"It seems you all take my presence too lightly. That's strike two already."
The Scholars fell into silence, the beating of their hearts being the only thing they could hear. The rushing of their blood seemed to encapsulate their entire world.
Velasco took a step forward and a Scholar was shattered to pieces.
He took another, and yet another fell.
He took a third step and a third body exploded, filling the skies with a rain of blood.
Even Leonel had forgotten that there was a broadcast to the Human Domain currently. When he finally did, he clicked his tongue. He had put so much effort into looking cool, and it was all ruined by this old man. Who would remember him after this?
The legend of Velasco, which had been brewing in the hearts of many for countless words, suddenly exploded. It was one thing when Leonel relied on the help of other Ancestors to defeat others, but it was a completely different matter to kill with such casualness.
Another step and a fourth died, then it was a fifth, then a sixth. It hadn't even been more than a few minutes, and yet 10% of their people had fallen.
It didn't even seem like Velasco was in a hurry to kill him, it felt more like he was on a leisurely stroll, moving through the world without a care and taking lives for no other reason than the fact it felt convenient to do so.
Leonel, however, was thinking about something else. His father seemed to be trying to lure something out.
There were many things about his father's actions that he didn't understand, many of those matters also happened to revolve around the Three Finger Cult. His father was so intelligent and powerful, and he seemed to be mowing down the Three Finger Cult as though they were worthless, so why did the Three Finger Cult still exist?
There was something else at play here.
All of a sudden, the skies were filled with a blinding, golden flash.
Leonel looked up and past where his father had been standing and watched as maybe the most perfect creature he had ever laid eyes on slowly appeared.
This "creature" was a man wearing golden robes. He stood unblemished and untouched by nature, and yet as one with it at the same time. The Anarchic Force around him dispelled naturally for no other reason than his very existence.
Leonel had thought the most handsome man he had ever seen was Wise Start Order, but now even he felt wholly inferior.
'A Spiritual...?'