ONE CHANCE

Leonel hadn't sensed the appearance of this person at all. It was as though, in one instant, they were just there, as though they had always been there, as though they had never not been there.

This person was powerful.

He was a man, handsome beyond reason, and having a head of pink hair not much unlike Minerva. However, unlike Minerva, his wings were a frightening gold that reflected all light. No, it wasn't that they reflected all light, but rather that they reflected the light so fiercely that each ray that bounced off felt as sharp as the light of a sword. It felt like if he wanted, he could cleave a world in two with a single flap.

The man was valiant beyond reason and exuded an otherworldly temperament that made it seem like he wasn't of this world, that even the Gods themselves couldn't have personally sculpted him.

And it was when Leonel had this thought that he frowned and shook himself awake. A cold sweat broke out on his back and he felt that there was something particularly odd about this man.

It was times like this that he wished he had kept the original path of his Dream Force. But right now, he was being forced to respect this man...

No, it was his choice to respect this man, he reminded himself.

'Is his Dream Force so tangible that he can affect even my mind so easily? No, it's not that... is this what a true Dharma feels like? But not quite...'

Leonel's Wise Sea and Star Order status acted to quickly dissect the aspects of this man he could understand and put them together, and soon he felt he had a grasp.

This man was only a step away from becoming a true God. The feeling of awe and reverence came almost entirely from this feeling, but it was also a wake-up call.

The strength of some at the Peak of the Creation State was on a completely different level.

The strength of someone who had a Quasi-Dharma was even more exaggerated. It felt like a world apart. The separation between the two tiers was devastating, so much so that it was difficult for Leonel to even gather up the fighting intent right now.

However, Leonel seemed to feel that his mind was being forcefully tempered by his resistance.

The man didn't even look at Leonel as though he was entirely insignificant. He caught Minerva from falling from the skies, supporting her. Then, he took out a Force Pill and gave it to her.

Minerva's situation quickly stabilized, though her face remained pale. However, it was hard to tell if this was because she had clearly lost, or if it was because she was still a bit injured.

Her gaze dimmed, but from start to finish, she didn't look toward Leonel. It was like she didn't trust what she would do if she met his gaze right now.

It was only after he had made certain that Minerva was in good condition that the man finally looked toward Leonel.

At that moment, whatever pressure Leonel had felt before was multiplied several times over. It felt like he was watching a golden star approach from the skies, preparing to collide with his planet. But even as it approached, the forest caught fire, the oceans dried up, and large pieces were being ripped from this planet's surface.

The visualization was so clear that Leonel truly felt that he was already there, about to lose his life.

Sparks of Dream Force flickered to life and a wildly dancing crown appeared above Leonel's head. Right then, he focused on the other half of his Dream Force Sovereign Path.

Persistence.

He stood proudly in the skies, meeting the gaze of the man that seemed to hold a pair of burning golden stars.

"Unyielding." The man said indifferently, as though he was passing judgment. His words didn't have any emotion in them, nor did he seem to care that Leonel was so persistent. As far as he was concerned, Leonel was a wave of the hand away from death, and had always been that, and would continue to be that into perpetuity.

The arrogance of this man was practically its own towering monument.

If not for their plans, he would have long become a God. In this world, no one was worthy of keeping up with his steps.

He was the Head of the Owlans. No... he was the Head of the Minerva.

Elysium.

"You may live only because you have some use. Your actions are your attempt at survival, and they're pleasing enough to me. However, the Segmented Cube and the Life Tablet, those aren't things that the likes of you can hold."

Leonel continued to look at this man.

After Elysium finished speaking, he just stood there as though he were waiting for Leonel to hand them over of his own accord. He didn't seem to think that he would need to take action at all.

Leonel felt flickers of rage raise up within him that were suddenly doused by a dense cold. The cold seemed to come from Elysium, who was giving him a silent warning...

But there was something else within Leonel radiating an even deeper cold.

It was the remaining strands of his previous Dream Force Path. He almost subconsciously reached out toward them, wanting to return to the path of absolute confidence without the slightest regard for anything.

Who was this man to try to trample over his dignity? Who was he to speak to him so casually? To look at him with that gaze? The only person who deserved to look down on people in this way was him, the only man to ever outlive Existence itself.

Leonel suddenly closed his eyes, taking a shaky breath. © 2024.

From an outsider's perspective, it truly looked as though he had lost his mind to fear.

However, his words were anything but.

"I will give you one chance to scram. Or else we both won't like the result."

His voice was low, emotionless, and seemed to be layered with an unapproachable majesty.