Third Person's POV
Valra groaned softly, her brows furrowing as her heavy eyelids fluttered open. A dull ache pounded behind her eyes, and the scent of dust mixed with the night air filled her senses. As her vision cleared, the first thing she saw was Leo… sitting calmly beside her, wearing a gentle, almost awkward smile on his face.
"YMMFFF...??" Her muffled cry came out instinctively as she tried to speak—but her voice was caught, restrained. She blinked rapidly, trying to understand what was happening.
Her mouth was stuffed with cotton, taped shut so tightly she couldn't even push her tongue forward. Her arms were pinned behind her back, bound tightly with thick silver tape. Her legs were wrapped up as well, knees bent and ankles pressed together like a prisoner.
She was on the ground. Not a bed, not a floor... a cold, empty stretch of road under the night sky, with no lights, no cover—just her and him. Leo sat cross-legged nearby, looking far too casual for someone who had just gagged and restrained a powerful mage.
Before she could even think about activating her magic to break free, Leo raised a hand slightly and said in a calm, clear tone, "I'll knock you out before you get the chance to do anything. Just listen to me for a moment. Please. I'm not here to fight."
Valra growled into the gag, her eyes narrowing in fury. Her expression darkened with rage and insult. If anyone—anyone—were to see her like this, helpless, bound and silenced by a mere human, she would be a disgrace to her lineage.
A mage from a noble mage clan, caught and tied up like some low-tier street thief? The thought alone burned in her chest.
Leo noticed the sheer fury in her glare, but he didn't flinch. He didn't look away. His voice stayed soft, steady. "I know it looks bad. I know you're angry. I didn't want to gag you, but I had to make sure you wouldn't call your Champion the moment you woke up. That's the only reason."
Valra's eyes narrowed further, but something in her gaze shifted. She blinked again, this time with a hint of realisation. 'Foolish novice,' she thought with a quiet smirk behind the gag. 'He doesn't even know that Masters and Champions can speak telepathically.' Her mind reached out, just beginning to summon her Champion when—
"I really need your help, Valra," Leo said suddenly, his voice lower now, more serious. The raw emotion in his tone made her pause mid-thought.
"I know this is war. I know what I'm getting into is far beyond what someone like me should handle. And yeah… at first, I was terrified. Confused. Angry even. But…" he looked directly into her eyes, "I was chosen. For some reason I don't understand, I was chosen. I summoned a Champion even though I don't have magic circuits like the rest of you. No training. No legacy. Nothing."
He leaned in slightly, his voice trembling for the first time. "And yet… I did it. Somehow. Doesn't that mean something? I don't know what I'm supposed to become, but—there's this feeling, deep in my chest, like I have to do this. Like there's something waiting, something I have to achieve, even if I don't know what that is yet."
He took a breath, closed his eyes briefly, then looked back at her again. "I'm not pretending to be a hero. I just… I want to try. I want to do something that matters. I showed you everything—I exposed myself entirely. I need you to understand that I'm not backing down. And… so… I'm asking you, will you please help me?"
Slowly, he reached his hand out toward her, offering it with hesitation and quiet hope.
Valra stared at his face in stunned silence. Her breathing slowed. His voice didn't carry arrogance, not even desperation—it was... real. Sincere.
Sshhh!
A sudden wave of flames ignited from her bound hand, burning through the tape in seconds. She slowly sat up, her body stiff from the awkward position she had been left in.
Leo blinked, watching her straighten, feeling a bead of sweat trail down his temple. 'Well... I guess tape wasn't the smartest idea,' he thought, giving himself a small nod.
Valra pulled the cotton from her mouth, her fingers slightly trembling—not from fear, but from the restrained frustration still simmering in her chest. She let out a deep sigh, spitting the cotton aside as her voice came out lower, bitter.
"I lost... Honestly, I really lost to you. If it had been any other Master, I would've died on the spot," she muttered.
Leo exhaled in relief but shook his head slowly. "No… you didn't lose. You were holding back, Valra. I saw it. If you hadn't hesitated at the last second, I would've been dead. You had me completely."
Valra glanced at him sharply, her eyes narrowing with surprise. Her lips tightened, but her cheeks reddened ever so slightly. She turned her head with a huff and crossed her arms.
"So, you noticed I went easy on you... Good. At least you're not completely clueless."
Leo gave her a small smile and raised his hand again, palm open. "So… shall we?"
She stared at his hand for a moment. Joining him meant more than just working together—it meant putting him in danger. It meant protecting him in battle. It meant trusting him.
"…Just tell me one thing," she said quietly, eyes locked on his. "What do you wish for? What's the reason you're fighting?"
Leo blinked at the sudden question, then tilted his head, confused by her serious tone.
Valra stared hard at him, unamused. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it? You entered this war, summoned a Champion, and you still don't know your wish?"
Leo scratched the back of his head sheepishly and smiled again, this time softer, more honest. "Because I just… wanted to. That's it."
Valra stared at him long and hard. Her jaw clenched briefly before she muttered under her breath, "Stupid…" She shook her head and reached out, gripping his hand tightly. "Well then... let's team up. For now. But remember—until we clash… we're allies. Got it?"
Leo grinned, giving a playful wink. "Super!"
Valra rolled her eyes and let out a small snort, annoyed. Even now, after everything, he was still smiling like an idiot.
Did he even understand the stakes?
Leo sighed deeply, the exhaustion catching up to him all at once. 'Finally... I got one on my side…' he thought with a tired expression and sagging shoulders.
He had honestly feared she would walk away.
"Anyway," Valra said as she stretched her neck, the tension still in her muscles. "Let's move before the others end up slaughtering each other."
And just as she finished that sentence—
BOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!
A massive explosion rocked the silence of the night. The sky lit up in a burst of fire from the distance, shaking the ground beneath them. Without wasting another second, Leo and Valra dashed toward the source.
*****
"Huff... Huff... Huff..."
Pride panted heavily, her breath ragged as blood streamed down her forehead. Her body was pierced with arrows, her limbs trembling as her feet barely held her upright. Deep red soaked through the fabric of her outfit, staining it beyond recognition. She looked as if she could collapse at any second—but her eyes remained focused, sharp.
Across from her, Envy panted too. His breath was shallow, wheezing as blood spilt from deep slashes across his chest and legs. His left forearm was completely missing, severed clean off in the battle.
"Ha... ha... damn..." Envy muttered between breaths, managing a grin through the pain. "I-I didn't expect an S-Rank Spirit to have this much fight in them," he said, his voice tinged with genuine respect and surprise.
Pride didn't respond with words. She simply locked her gaze on him, fierce and cold, and slowly raised her sword again, ready for another round without hesitation.
Envy exhaled, shaking his head slightly with a grim smile. "You're something else... I think I kind of like you. Who the hell are you, really?" he muttered, gripping his bow with his one remaining hand—holding it like a sword now.
Pride answered in a flat tone, her expression unreadable. "I am honored... to face the strongest Archer I have ever encountered in my lifetime." She gave a slow, respectful nod, despite the pain that visibly shot through her when she moved.
Envy's lips curved into a small, weak smile. "Strongest, huh...?" he whispered as he steadied himself again.
Just then, a voice rang out through the battlefield—
"Okay, that's enough."
It was Valra.
Pride's gaze shifted slightly, glancing toward Valra with a frown. Her body was still tense, sword still in hand. Envy turned his head as well and let out a sigh.
"You finally finished—" he began, but his words cut off as his eyes landed on the figure standing behind her.
Leo.
Envy's expression instantly changed. His eye twitched.
"...I knew it!" he roared, slamming his bow against the ground in frustration, the shock echoing through the space. "Damn it!"
Valra's cheeks flushed slightly. A soft blush colored her expression before she spoke up, her voice trying to sound composed. "Leo, the Master of Pride, and I, the Master of Envy, have agreed to form an alliance. Do you have any objection to that decision?"
Envy smirked, his voice dripping with sarcasm and irritation. "What if I said yes? You wouldn't change a damn thing, would you?"
Valra simply nodded once, without blinking.
Envy gritted his teeth and let out a loud exhale before falling backward and plopping onto his butt with a groan. "I hate you, Master..."
Meanwhile, Leo had already rushed to Pride's side. His eyes widened in horror at the state she was in—her body still bleeding, the arrows jutting out grotesquely. His expression twisted with guilt.
"I'm sorry…" he whispered, kneeling in front of her, his voice almost trembling. "I'm so sorry. You were fighting all this time…"
Pride shook her head slowly, refusing his apology. "Are you alright, Leo?" she asked as her sharp eyes focused on him. She noticed the bruises on his cheeks, the dried blood near his temple, the exhaustion pulling at his face.
He smiled gently, though his heart ached. "I'm fine, really. Don't worry about me. And… thank you. For holding him back."
Pride gave a faint smile in return. "There's no need to thank me," she said softly. But her body tensed, and a pained breath escaped her lips as a wave of agony washed through her.
Leo immediately pulled out a green healing stone from his pouch and held it out to her. "Here—take this."
Pride hesitated. Her hand paused mid-air. "You should use it, Leo," she said with a frown. "Your injuries—"
Leo shook his head with a firm expression. "I told you, I'm fine. These are just bruises and scrapes. I can bandage them later. That's why I brought so many supplies. You need this more than I do. Please—take it."
Still hesitating, she glanced at his face again. He looked serious, unwavering. Slowly, her fingers closed around the stone, and she took it from his palm.
With a deep breath, Pride crushed the healing stone in her hand. Immediately, a swirl of green energy surrounded her like a soft storm. The arrows dissolved and dropped from her body as the wounds began to close, muscles mending and bones realigning. Her skin glowed faintly for a moment as she straightened herself with new strength.
Leo turned his head toward Envy, who was now sitting and looking slightly more relaxed. The missing forearm had already reformed, and the cuts on his body were vanishing.
"He used her mana to regenerate, didn't he?" Leo asked, watching the magic at work.
Before Pride could answer, Valra stepped forward.
"Yeah," she confirmed, crossing her arms. "As long as I supply mana, Envy can restore himself." she added with a meaningful glance toward Leo's Spirit.
Leo nodded slowly. "I envy you," he said quietly.
Valra chuckled under her breath.
"Anyway," Leo said, turning to the group, "shall we head back?"
Valra nodded and turned to Envy, who responded with a subtle nod. Then, with a quick snap of his fingers—
Suddenly, the air shimmered like a ripple in a pond. A wave of transparent energy swept over the battlefield. The broken ground, shattered stones, craters, and ruins—all of it—vanished before their eyes.
Leo blinked in amazement as the area returned to its pristine, untouched state.
"Magic is seriously incredible," he muttered, still in awe.
Just as they were about to turn and leave,
Pride suddenly flinched and turned sharply toward the east, her expression alarmed. A second later, Envy tensed and did the same. Valra followed them both, her eyes wide with a creeping sense of dread.
Leo looked between them in confusion. "What is it? What happened?"
Valra's face paled, her body going stiff. "A massive burst of mana… just now. It's dispersing across the area," she said in a low voice, her expression frozen in horrified shock.
Leo blinked again. "Huh?"