LOSERS

Overlord Maxx had asked his question perfunctorily. He knew, or at least he thought he knew, that Leonel didn't know the truth of the situation. But in just a few seconds, he watched Leonel pause, ponder, and then respond as though he had just seen right through him. It was a feeling that he had never experienced before, not even from Ishmael.

He truly didn't know how to respond because he was rendered speechless. He felt that he had underestimated this boy a bit too much. But he was still far too arrogant to-Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

Leonel waved a hand, and Maxx felt an uncontrollable force pull at his heart. He didn't realize that by entering the starship alongside Leonel, he had already sealed the fate of his World Spirit. There was no need for battle, no need for Leonel to find the location of their Holy Land, because what he wanted was right before him.

Overlord Maxx's expression changed, and he reached forward with a deft swiftness, but it was too late. The World Spirit landed in Leonel's palms, and he crushed it. In that instant, the Suiard family's world had been conquered, leaving much of the family stunned. Let alone them, even Maxx didn't really understand what had just happened.

The Overlord probably should have been enraged, but he didn't even know what emotions he should be feeling in the first place.

"This brat..." Maxx mumbled.

Unlike the others, Maxx wasn't a fool. He could tell that for some ridiculous reason, the Morales had actually let Leonel hold onto their World Spirit. Instead of fretting like the others did, if he really cared about the World Spirit so much, then it would be as simple as killing Leonel and taking it.

Of course, there were some problems with that choice too. For one, this brat seemed to be far too confident. But in Maxx's views, Leonel understood too little about his own strength. If it wasn't for the fact that he was less hot-headed than the Morales men, Velasco wouldn't be the only one they were all intent on killing.

But that matter couldn't really be blamed on Velasco honestly. In Maxx's opinion, this was the case of the son paying for the sins of the father, and it seemed that that cycle was trying to replay itself here. He couldn't help but sigh.

"This isn't a worthwhile path," Maxx suddenly said. "Maybe it's hypocritical of me to say this because I'm not sure how I would react if I ever lost my wife, but hate me or not, I believe your grandfather was a fool. Your father after him was a fool. And now you're being a fool."

Maxx hoped to see some anger in Leonel's eyes, some rage, but he saw nothing at all, and it was precisely that that made him realize just how hopeless it was. Rage would imply some irrationality, some emotional instability, some lack of forethought or awareness toward the reality of the situation he was in. But the fact that Leonel showed nothing, and didn't show any signs of attacking him either, meant that he was of his right mind... and that only made it worse.

"All those years ago, your grandfather fell in love with the wrong woman. Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that you have the Morales family Lineage Factor, I wouldn't even be able to say with any more than 10% assurance that you are your grandfather's grandson. In fact, even though you have the Lineage Factor, I still can't say it with any more than 50% assurance. I have no idea what that woman is capable of.

"He was arrogant, believing himself to be infallible, believing that it was only natural that such a woman would fall for him. And maybe had this woman been from this small world, it would have made sense. He was truly excellent for a person born to such disadvantages.

"I warned him many times, but he didn't listen. I had never known him to be a man infatuated by beauty, but you never know what a man is capable of when he falls in love. In the end, what was likely a childish game to her became a life and death situation for him. He offended those he shouldn't have, and turned far more attention to this world than he would have otherwise.

"Do your grandfather's love for that woman, the last bastion of the Fawkes family was exposed, the Cult entered this world, and Shield Cross Stars was infiltrated by another party. Right now, they've probably already taken control.

"In the end, he still didn't even blame her. He blamed himself, finally saying that he had overestimated himself, all for that worthless woman."

Maxx seemed to become more and more enraged as he spoke, but in contrast, his voice became more subdued. It was instead the Sword Force in the air that crossed and echoed like sharpening blades.

"A woman can help a man to do great things. A woman can also destroy a man, and sometimes that can happen whether she's a good woman or not." Maxx looked at Leonel. The latter could feel the blood vessels in his whites popping one after another, causing a stream of blood to stream down his cheeks, but he still didn't look away.

"I don't know how many female powerhouses lie with random men and have children with them. I can't say whether she was one such person, if I've misunderstood her, or whether she's a spawn of Satan. What I can say is that there's a cycle you have the chance to stop so long as you will it, and I would advise that you take that chance."

Silence fell. It was a long one, one that lasted upwards of ten minutes as the two met each other's gazes, one indifferent, and the other bleeding tears of blood.

"Alright, return my grandson to me," Maxx suddenly said.

Leonel just waved a hand, and Amery appeared, looking just the same.

"Useless brat," Maxx scolded, slapping Amery with a palm to the forehead despite the distance between them. Amery, though, didn't react to this. Even after his grandfather stood and pulled him up by the scruff of his collar, he still didn't react.

"If you can win, I'll consider supporting you. But I don't invest in losers," Maxx said as he turned and left with Amery in tow. "I would advise you to be careful, though. They've sent one more powerful than me."