The month of leadership had changed the Orcs, but it had also changed Leon. He had turned a scattered tribe into a disciplined town, but his heart remained fixed on the horizon.
"I am leaving," Leon said to Thamr, his vice-chief. "I seek an army that can challenge the heavens. Until I return, this town is your responsibility."
Thamr knelt, his eyes brimming with a warrior's respect. "We shall wait for your call, Chief. Even if you lead us into the maw of death itself, we will follow."
With those final words, Leon turned toward the distant, jagged peaks of the Himeroth Mountains.
The Trial of the Dark Forest
As Leon reached the entrance to the mountains, he found he wasn't alone. Other powerful races—nobles from the Arch-Demon clans and arrogant warriors—had gathered for the legendary inheritance of Himero Takahashi, the foreigner who once defeated the Great Snake, Goliath.
"Step aside, barbarian," a massive, bloated demon sneered, pushing through the crowd. "This inheritance isn't for a stray like you. Be my vanguard, and I might let you live."
The crowd laughed, but Leon's eyes remained cold.
"I was wondering," Leon replied, his voice calm yet carrying a deadly edge. "When did pigs start joining competitions for swordsmen? Go home and eat; this place is for warriors."
The laughter died instantly. Enraged, the fatty demon lunged, but the statues guarding the forest entrance hummed to life. Violence was forbidden.
As the statues attacked, the other contestants scrambled in fear. Magic and aura failed to scratch the stone sentinels.
[Skill Activated: Dark Swordsmanship – Third Form: Dark Lotus Blossom]
Leon moved like a phantom. His blade, coated in a shimmering pink-and-blue aura, carved through the air. In a single, fluid motion, he bypassed the statues' defenses. Two lotus-shaped gashes appeared on their stone chests, and the guardians disintegrated into dust.
A holographic image appeared, smiling warmly at Leon. "Test passed. Proceed to the second layer."
The Duel with the Specter
At the end of the forest, Leon faced his greatest challenge yet: The Death Knight.
Mounted on a skeletal steed and clad in abyssal iron, the Knight was a nightmare manifested. Here, magic was suppressed. Only raw skill and speed mattered.
"You fight well, demon," the Death Knight rasped after their first clash, his crimson blade nearly shattering Leon's guard. "But you cannot overcome the shadows of your own soul."
Leon wiped blood from his lip, a joyous, predatory grin spreading across his face. "Watch me."
It took three brutal duels. Leon's body was a map of bruises and exhaustion, but his twin blades finally found their mark. As the Death Knight fell, the hologram shifted, revealing the true form of the legend: Himero Takahashi.
The Rebirth: Reaching the Emperor Realm
"So, the little dragon chose you," Himero said, glancing at Arrax, who manifested as a spirit on Leon's shoulder. "Very well. You have the soul of a king. I shall grant you my authority."
The inheritance began. It wasn't a gift; it was a soul-binding fusion.
Leon's golden hair turned into wild, ebony tendrils. His skin became pale as ice, marked by jet-black veins pulsing with raw energy. Massive, tattered wings erupted from his back, and his eyes swirled into a vortex of crimson and Purple.
He reached out his hand, and the legendary blade, Takemikazuchi, flew into his grip.
[System Notification: Evolution Complete]
[Tier upgraded: Tier 1 ->->Tier 2]
[Level upgraded: Level: 10->->Level: 70]
[System Notification: A new ranking system has been introduced. Host has explored, and Official reached a new rank.]
[New Rank: Emperor Realm]
A massive pillar of light shot from the mountain, piercing the clouds of the Abyss.
Deep in the Third Layer, ancient, unknown creatures stirred. "A new Emperor has risen... how familiar."
Even in the Chaos God's Mansion, the bells of heaven rang relentlessly. The God of Thunder growled, his face twisting in fury. "An Emperor Realm newbie in the Abyss? Send the executioners. He must not take another breath."
Leon stood atop the mountain, the Takemikazuchi crackling with black flames. He felt no heat. He felt no fear. He felt... nothing but the cold, beautiful hunger for revenge.