Chapter 408: The Outbreak of Fierce Battle
"Tsk! How could I possibly miss it? Those monsters are already making me feel bored."
A voice suddenly came from the side. Moments later, the surrounding space trembled before Valen's stout figure emerged from thin air.
He grinned casually, holding the Holy Spear of Soaring Dragon in his left hand.
His tall and bulky frame made even Leon, who stood at 1.92 meters, seem short in comparison.
His sudden appearance caught everyone in the throne room off guard—especially Velix, who never expected Valen to side with Leon.
"Damn it..." He gritted his teeth, anger burning in his eyes.
Not only had his three most loyal subordinates—Jim, Rain, and Natasya—died at Leon's hands, but Albert had also betrayed him. And now, even Valen, whom he believed to be loyal, had turned against him!
Before their shock could subside, a flash of white light suddenly materialized beside Valen. It expanded, then slowly faded, revealing Luna's beautiful yet cold figure.
With her war robes slightly loose yet still exuding charm, she looked like a moon goddess descended to earth—graceful, alluring, and enchanting.
Velix's anger flared even further at Luna's sudden appearance.
Though he had already suspected her betrayal, seeing it with his own eyes made his chest tighten.
"Valen, Luna, is this your choice?" Velix asked coldly, clenching his fists.
Valen glanced at Velix sitting on the throne and snorted. "Yes, this is my choice. You deceived and fooled me, Velix. Not only were you the mastermind behind Leon's murder plot, but you also secretly made Guren a Sword Hero. You know I hate lies, don't you?"
Despite his careless and infuriating attitude, Valen was a man of integrity. Velix's role in the conspiracy against Leon was unforgivable.
As a fellow hero, he could not possibly tolerate such actions—it was a stain on his very status.
Valen's words left Velix both frustrated and helpless. He had already suspected that Valen's betrayal was tied to this.
Still, he felt no guilt whatsoever. At that time, Leon's popularity had grown too high, and as Emperor, he saw him as a threat. Eliminating him was simply the natural course of action.
"It's my choice as well," Luna said nonchalantly. "Since Leon and I are one, I can't possibly forgive your actions."
At first glance, her words seemed reasonable, but anyone observant enough would notice something odd. Naturally, the one who caught it immediately was Athena.
She shot Luna an angry glare and muttered, "You and Leon are one? Hmph! I didn't expect this woman to be so shameless."
Leon's heart and love belonged to her alone, and she wouldn't let anyone take it away!
"Alright... alright... if this is your decision, don't blame me for being merciless," Velix said hatefully as he slowly rose from his throne. Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire
The mana within him was already half-restored, and he had no intention of staying idle.
*Buzz!*
The Seven Crystal Magic Staff in his right hand suddenly erupted with a dazzling multicolored light.
Raising it high, he coldly shouted, "High-Level Magic: Domain Boundary!"
*Whoosh!*
A massive magic circle suddenly formed beneath everyone's feet, expanding up to five kilometers.
Seeing this, Leon, Luna, and Valen immediately tensed, swiftly channeling their holy power. They knew Velix was no weakling.
Rumors even suggested he was a Great Mage stronger than Rain. Though unconfirmed, they couldn't afford to underestimate him.
Unlike the others, Athena remained calm and unbothered, as if the magic circle's presence neither alarmed nor threatened her.
"Hehehe... using Domain Boundary magic in front of me? Did you even ask for my permission, Velix Larrison?" Athena smirked playfully.
She snapped her fingers and said casually, "Cancel."
*Crack...*
The massive circle beneath them suddenly fractured before shattering into pieces.
Velix's eyes widened in shock. He stared at her in disbelief.
"How is that possible? My high-level magic… was canceled just like that?" He muttered, stunned.
High-level magic was the most powerful tier below ancient magic, castable only by high-level mages and great mages.
Yet, Athena had canceled it with a mere snap of her fingers—something that should have been impossible.
Not only Velix but even the members of the Temple of Twilight were equally stunned.
Their wariness toward Athena had now surpassed their concern for Valen, Luna, and Leon.
The Second Apostle quickly regained his composure and cast a cold gaze at Leon and his companions.
"All members of the Temple of Twilight, charge!" he shouted before lunging forward.
"Attack!" The Fourth Apostle, Fifth Apostle, and the Emissary of the First Apostle, along with all the elite members of the Temple of Twilight, roared in unison and followed the Second Apostle into battle.
Leon raised the Holy Sword of Zenith and commanded, "Athena, take care of that burly black-cloaked man. Luna, the one on the left, is yours. Valen, I'll leave the small fry to you. Their leader… he's mine."
Without waiting for their reaction, he shot forward at lightning speed. Athena and Luna said nothing and immediately followed. Only Valen remained frozen in place at the order.
"Oy, damn it! How could you stick me with these weaklings?" Valen shouted angrily, glaring at Leon.
But Leon was already locked in battle with the Second Apostle, completely ignoring his protest.
"Asshole!" Valen gritted his teeth, turning his sharp gaze toward the Emissary of the First Apostle and the two thousand elite members of the Temple of Twilight.
Tightening his grip on the Holy Spear of Soaring Dragon, he thrust it forward with pride. "You may be nothing more than weak fish, but don't expect me to show even a sliver of mercy!"
With that, he charged straight at them.
…
"How much longer until we reach Astralyn, Adam?"
Riding her horse, Arshley turned to her left and asked Adam, who rode beside her.
Adam tightened his grip on the reins, his gaze fixed on the horizon with a serious expression. "Don't worry, Saint. We should be there any moment now."
Arshley gave a small nod and fell silent. Her heart was heavy with worry for her brother—she longed to see him as soon as possible.
The longing that had built up over time left her restless and tormented. The only way to ease it was to reunite with her brother as soon as possible.
Lifting her gaze to the vast blue sky, she whispered softly, "Brother Leon, just a little longer… I'll be there soon."