Leon turned into a lance of pure light and shot forward, closing the distance instantly.
The black dragon beat its wings, unleashing a howl that shattered nearby stone. It rushed forward with no less fury, claws slashing and teeth gnashing.
But something changed this time. Leon noticed it almost immediately. The dragon's scarlet eyes had shifted.
A new gleam had entered them, no longer the primal, mindless rage of a beast but something else.
Intent.
And power began to gather around it. The very air grew heavy. A new color shimmered faintly around its mouth, and strange runes pulsed along its horns.
Leon's own eyes widened in recognition.
"…Magic?"
As the black dragon's scarlet eyes shimmered with strange, otherworldly hues, an invisible wave suddenly erupted from its body, unseen by the eye, yet unmistakably potent.
Leon's senses flared in alarm. He instinctively cast defensive magic, barriers of light and shadow coalescing around his form, but it was useless. The wave passed through the barriers like smoke through air, flowing straight into his body without resistance.
"Undetectable by magic…?" Leon narrowed his eyes as his instincts screamed in warning.
Clang!!
Before he could dwell on it further, the black dragon's massive claws slashed toward him. He raised his blade to meet them head-on, and the collision sent tremors through the very air. One man, one beast, both launched backwards from the force of impact.
Predictably, the black dragon was sent flying much farther than Leon. When Leon stabilized midair, the dragon was still tumbling through the sky. But Leon didn't pursue. He hovered in place, his brow furrowed.
That strange wave from earlier, it hadn't been just for show. He was certain it had done something to him, even if he couldn't feel it yet.
Focusing inward, Leon scanned himself, searching for abnormalities—mental, magical, physical. But no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't sense anything wrong. It was like nothing had happened at all. But that only made it more dangerous.
Then—
Screams.
A chorus of terrified voices suddenly echoed from the edge of the pit.
Leon's eyes snapped to the source.
Finn. Riveria. Gareth. Lefiya. Tiona. Tione.
All of them.
They clutched their heads, expressions contorted in panic and pain, screaming at the top of their lungs.
Terror.
"...This effect..."
Leon's expression darkened as a memory surged forward, one that hadn't surfaced in a long time.
'This is the Black Dragon's unique ability… the same cursed power that made even Maxima and Zald scream in agony…'
A special ability, more than a debuff. It was a mental curse, a terrifying fear-type aura that affected any being who faced the dragon head-on.
Even warriors as mighty as the legendary Maxim and Zald, both peak Level 8s, had suffered under its influence. They screamed. They broke. Their strength withered before the oppressive weight of pure dread.
It wasn't an illusion. It was a psychological suppression field, crafted from some dreadful instinctual pressure that struck deep into the soul.
Looking at the current state of Finn and the others, Leon instantly understood. They were experiencing the exact same thing.
'This dragon really is connected to the One-Eyed Black Dragon.'
Leon's gaze turned once more toward the beast in the pit. He didn't know how or why this new black dragon had been born. But it was real and it was dangerous.
Its strength hadn't yet reached the One-Eyed Black Dragon's level but it was clearly born from the same source. Perhaps this was how the great quests' targets had begun—weak at first, and growing stronger, like enhanced species over time.
Yet, even with all that in mind, Leon's frown deepened.
Why was he unaffected?
Why hadn't that fear-inducing wave worked on him?
His mental defenses weren't stronger than Finn's. If anything, Finn, Riveria, and Gareth had decades more experience than he did. Their hearts had been forged in blood and fire. They should've resisted this better than him.
So why was he the only one still standing?
'Is it because my strength is already above this black dragon's?'
The thought lingered as Leon turned toward his allies, who were now crouched and trembling in disarray. With a powerful flap of his wings, he shot through the air and landed gracefully before the group.
Without hesitation, he raised a hand and released a soft wave of light magic—gentle, calming energy flowing over their heads like warm spring water. It was a spell of his own creation, a magic that soothed the mind and stabilized emotional turbulence.
Slowly, their expressions began to ease. Their screams dulled into groans and they began to recover. But even then, Leon frowned.
The light magic helped but only barely. The dragon's fear aura was stronger than anticipated. Once he returned, he'd need to revise the spell, strengthen it further.
"This isn't enough."
After a quick glance, Leon gave a sharp command.
"Everyone, withdraw from this area. Don't stay close."
He didn't wait for questions.
"That black dragon has an innate ability that forces fear into those who face it. If you stay here, you'll only be in danger."
Despite their shaken state, Finn's eyes snapped into focus. The moment he regained his senses, he gave a sharp nod.
"I understand."
He turned to the others and called out loudly.
"Everyone, fall back! Retreat from the pit now!"
Without another word, Finn turned and bolted, leading the group away from the battlefield.
Without hesitation, everyone quickly followed Leon's orders, retreating from the deep pit.
Only moments after the last adventurer disappeared from sight, the black dragon surged out of the pit behind Leon, its immense shadow blotting out the sky above it.
Roar!!!
A violent, earth-shaking roar tore through the air, echoing across the entire floor.
From its gaping maw poured blazing torrents of flame, scorching waves that distorted the very air as they rushed toward Leon like an unstoppable inferno.
"Ahhh!!!"
Natsu, steadfast on Leon's shoulder, unleashed a fierce blaze of its own, the Sky Flame roaring to meet the dragon's assault.
In an instant, the overwhelming inferno froze solid, turning to gray-white stone, which shattered to dust under Natsu's furious flames.
With a swift strike, Leon counterattacked. Man and dragon clashed once more. The shockwave from their collision rippled across the 59th floor, shaking the earth and rattling the bones of those who watched from afar.
Far from the battlefield, Finn and the others had reached a cliff several kilometers away, safely removed from the deep pit's chaos.
"That black dragon… there's no doubt it shares the same origin as the One-Eyed Black Dragon."
Finn's voice was heavy with unease as he stared at the two streams of light, one black, one white, tangled in relentless combat.
"That ability it just used… it's the signature power of the One-Eyed Black Dragon."
"The Zeus Familia and Hera Familia fell before that very ability." Riveria said gravely, recalling the past.
"I remember Zald's record, how fear gripped his heart, how no matter how hard he fought, the terror clawed deeper. It erupted into screams, uncontrollable and piercing."
Gareth's voice cut in, somber. "And the black dragon's scales are immune to nearly every magic. That's why all those magic swords the Zeus and Hera Familias prepared were useless. Even Alfia, the strongest mage of the time, could do little but watch."
Tione tugged at her hair in frustration. "Such a nasty ability."
"But with Leon facing it, that dragon doesn't seem like a match."
"Leon doesn't seem affected by the dragon's powers at all." Kaguya remarked, eyes sharp, worry creasing her brow.
"Indeed." Alise agreed solemnly. "We must figure out how to handle this. Leon's presence changes the situation, but what about next time?"
Ryuu frowned deeply, her voice grave as she voiced the unspoken fear. "Leon can't be with us forever. What if…"
Silence fell. Her words struck a nerve. They had known about the One-Eyed Black Dragon's terror for years. For over a decade, they'd pondered how to counter it but the fear aura was unlike anything else. It was a mental weapon, irrational and elusive. No easy solution.