Leo's breath hitched as her eyes caught the broken figures of young girls. Some sat slumped against doorways, others knelt in the dirt. Their clothes were torn, their frail bodies covered in wounds. Their skin was pale, their eyes hollow, as if life itself had abandoned them.
Above, more dragons soared across the blood-stained sky, their shadows devouring the ruins below.
"I-is this even… a world…?"
Leo's voice shook, sweat dripping down her temple. She clutched her chest, struggling to breathe as the nightmare unfolded around her.
Beside her, Leo[Pride] remained silent, his expression carved in steel, his fists trembling with restrained fury.
"Help!! P-please, someone help me!!!"
A voice suddenly tore through the silence.
Leo's head whipped around. "Leo, did you hear that!? Someone's in danger!"
Leo[Pride] glanced at her, his tone casual, almost dismissive. "So what?"
Leo's eyes blazed. "What do you mean, so what!? Someone's in danger—we have to find them!"
Without waiting for a reply, she sprinted toward the source of the voice.
Leo[Pride] let out a faint sigh, his lips curving faintly as though amused by her recklessness. "…Hmph. I suppose I've got no choice."
He darted after her.
Leo ran down a narrow street, her boots pounding against the broken stone. Her eyes darted desperately. Where did that voice come from…?
Suddenly, a hand gripped her shoulder from behind.
"—!!"
She gasped, her body tensing.
"Fool. Wrong direction. This way."
Leo[Pride]'s cold voice pressed against her ear. Without hesitation, he pulled her with him, sprinting at blinding speed.
"W-wait!! Hey—you're too fast!"
Leo stumbled, her breath ragged, her legs aching.
"You said you wanted to save them."
Leo[Pride] shot her a sharp look over his shoulder, his eyes glinting like ice. "Then hurry."
Leo[Pride] turned into a side street—and froze.
There, cornered against a crumbling wall, a teenage boy with short, messy red hair struggled to stand. His green shirt was torn and soaked in dirt, his face pale from fear. Looming over him was a giant goblin, its skin an ugly crimson, its eyes burning with hunger. In its massive hands gleamed a blood-stained axe, the metal dripping fresh gore.
The boy's leg was twisted unnaturally, blood pooling beneath him. He couldn't run. He couldn't even crawl.
The goblin sneered, lifting its axe high into the air.
"Leo, quickly!!"
Leo's voice cracked with urgency as she sprinted forward, her twin swords flashing in her hands. But she was too late—the axe was already descending.
BOOOOM!!!
A blazing fireball slammed into the goblin's chest, engulfing its body in searing flame.
"GRUAAAAHHHHH!!!"
The creature screeched in agony, thrashing violently.
"Huh?"
Leo gasped and turned her head.
There stood Leo[Pride], his hand still smoldering with residual fire, his eyes cold.
"Nice one, Leo!"
Leo shouted, relief flooding her voice, her lips curling into an excited grin.
"Tch… haah."
Leo[Pride] sighed, almost bored. Without hesitation, he strode toward the burning monster, his sharp gaze locking on it like a predator.
"Let me finish it."
In a blur, he leapt. His boot crashed into the goblin's face with brutal force. CRACK! Rotten yellow teeth exploded from its mouth, scattering across the ground.
"RWAAHHHHH!!!"
The goblin howled, staggering back, still clutching its axe. It roared and charged, fury in its steps.
While Leo[Pride] kept its attention, Leo darted to the fallen boy and knelt beside him.
"Are you alright!?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Ah… uhh… y-yeah. I barely… survived thanks to you two," the boy stammered, his breath ragged. "But my leg… I—I can't move it."
Leo's eyes dropped to his wound—and her stomach churned. The flesh of his leg was torn open, blood soaking through, but worse… a black shadow was spreading from the gash, swallowing the flesh like living ink.
"What the…!? Is this poison!?" she thought, panic flashing across her face.
She snapped her head around to check on Leo[Pride—only to freeze.
He was already walking back to her. Hands shoved casually in his pockets. Expression unreadable. The goblin's corpse lay crumpled behind him, smoke still rising from its charred flesh.
"Wahhh!! You finished it already!?"
Leo's eyes went wide in shock.
"Yeah. Killing a mere goblin is nothing."
His tone was flat, dismissive, as if he had just swatted a fly.
Leo scratched her cheek awkwardly, forcing a nervous smile. "Hehe… you're way stronger than I thought."
But her smile faded quickly as she remembered the boy. "Hey, Leo! Look at his leg—it's… it's spreading! Is this poison?"
Leo[Pride] crouched, his sharp eyes scanning the boy's wound.
"Sir… this isn't poison…"
The boy winced, his face twisted in pain, his voice breaking. "It's… their curse. When they cut you… your body gets swallowed by it… ughhh."
Leo[Pride] narrowed his eyes, his jaw tightening. "A curse, huh? …Yeah. You're telling the truth."
Leo's brows furrowed. "Curse? How did you know?"
Leo[Pride] didn't answer right away. His expression hardened, eyes scanning the ruined street around them. Slowly, he rose to his feet.
"…I can feel it." His voice dropped low, tense. "By sensing the curse, I can tell—something's coming. And it's strong."
Leo blinked, her heart racing. "A… monster?" She tightened her grip on her swords, the steel trembling in her hands.
Leo[Pride] shook his head, fists clenching at his sides. His eyes sharpened with recognition.
"No. Not a monster…" His voice was grim. "It feels like— who is coming is carrying holy power."