After Leo and Sakura finished their date, Leo returned home, his expression twisted in a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief. The evening had spiralled into something far more complicated than he had ever anticipated. Not only had the situation escalated beyond his expectations... but somehow, amidst all that chaos, he had apparently gotten himself a new girlfriend.
He stepped into the quiet house, closing the door gently behind him, still mulling over everything that had unfolded. Honestly, he didn't even know how to process it. He had told her—Sakura—to wait, to calm down, to give it time before making any rash decisions.
She was sweet, no doubt. Cute, bubbly, and certainly charming. But Leo knew deep down—he wasn't ready. He wasn't prepared for anything romantic.
Not now. Not while he was still figuring out who he even was in this twisted war.
With those thoughts swirling in his head, he made his way inside and noticed Pride sleeping peacefully on the bed. She lay curled up, conserving her energy.
Leo didn't have the heart to wake her. Instead, he let her rest, quietly walking past her.
Time ticked by in silence. Eventually, the front door clicked open, and Raphael stepped in, carrying a bag of packed food. She exhaled with exhaustion, brushing her messy bangs aside.
"I've got night duty at the hospital," she said with a sigh. "I just dropped by to grab a few things and leave you guys dinner."
Her voice held the fatigue of someone used to a burden, but still thoughtful enough to care for those around her.
Later that night, the city streets fell into stillness, blanketed in the quiet hush of midnight. Under the dim glow of distant street lamps, Leo walked alongside Valra and Pride. Their footsteps echoed faintly as they wandered the empty sidewalks, rounding block after block.
They were patrolling—cautiously—hoping, maybe even expecting, to come across a hostile Master or an opposing Champion. But so far, it had been nothing but silence.
"Maybe we should go home," Valra muttered at last.
She lowered herself onto a cold, weathered park bench, letting out a tired sigh. Her legs dangled, and her shoulders slumped slightly.
They'd been walking for hours now, hoping to uncover something, anything unnatural… but there was nothing.
"I guess so," Leo replied, his voice low, his eyes scanning the park with a dull, worn-out gaze.
He looked every bit as drained as she did. On the other side, Pride moved away from them, casually circling the park. She remained alert, scanning the surroundings for any signs of movement or unusual activity.
Then, in the quiet gap left behind by Pride's departure, Valra turned her eyes toward Leo.
"Tell me... what's going through your head?"
Leo blinked and looked at her, slightly startled by the sudden question. Of course, she had noticed—he had been out of it all day, constantly zoning out and lost in his own thoughts.
He let out a slow, defeated sigh and offered her a half-hearted smile.
"I guess it's starting to show, huh? Figures..."
He sat beside her.
"I was... thinking about this war,"
Leo began, his voice now filled with something heavier—uncertainty.
"I don't know if I want to keep going with it. I'm… I'm seriously thinking about walking away."
He didn't look at her.
Valra blinked. For a second, she was taken aback. She hadn't expected that. But as she let his words sink in, she realized... she was relieved. Somewhere deep down, she had hoped he would come to that decision.
That horrible bloodshed from the other night—the scent of death, maybe it had finally made him realise it wasn't worth it.
Whatever it was, Valra respected his honesty. She gave a slow, understanding nod. She wasn't disappointed.
"If that's what you really want… then I'm happy,"
She said softly.
She stood up, brushing her skirt down, and extended her hand toward him with a small, bittersweet smile.
Leo smiled back at her. He took her hand, held it briefly, then gave her a small nod of gratitude.
"Well then... thank you."
He turned and walked away, calling for Pride to follow. She silently joined him, glancing once at Valra but saying nothing.
Valra stood there for a moment, watching Leo disappear into the night.
Her Champion, Envy, appeared beside her out of the shadows. His eyes were sharp, watching her closely.
"You sure about this? You seem... more empty than happy."
Valra smiled faintly and shook her head. Yes, she felt empty. She had hoped—just a little—that they might've stayed together longer. That maybe, for once, something good might stick. But then he chose to leave.
It wasn't wrong. It wasn't betrayal.
It just... hurt.
"I guess... we were never meant to cross paths for long,"
Turning and walking away into the dark.
Envy glanced at his Master, then back toward Leo's fading silhouette. He clicked his tongue in irritation and followed.
Meanwhile, Leo was walking back home, his thoughts still tangled. The streetlight buzzed faintly above him as he looked toward Pride, walking a step beside him.
He hesitated.
Then, without turning to her, he asked quietly,
"Say... if I decided not to fight in the war anymore... what would you do?"
Pride froze for a moment at the question. She stopped walking and looked at him, her gaze unreadable. After a pause, she finally replied,
"You are my Master. Whatever you decide... I will obey."
Her voice was calm, but Leo could tell she meant it.
Neither of them said much after that. They walked the rest of the way in silence.
Back at the house, with Raphael away on night duty, Pride lay down on the couch in the living room, curling up in a corner without complaint.
Leo watched her for a moment before silently making his way to his own room. He sat down at his desk, opened the drawer, and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
The same one that had once reminded him to steal the relic.
He stared at it.
This life… it had become something more than he ever expected.
Sure, one billion sounded amazing on paper.
But what was that compared to his life?
His third rule—Life was more than Money.
That pool of blood... it scared him.
Honestly, he was terrified.
Call him a coward. Say what you will.
But Leo knew what he was doing.
This version of Leo—the one in this world—wasn't alone.
He clenched the paper in his fist, holding his breath, then slowly exhaled and placed it back inside the drawer. He closed it gently, stood up, and climbed into bed.
He lay there on his back, staring at the ceiling.
Was he making the right decision?
Was stepping away the right thing to do?
What if the people who had sent him… came for him?
What if they didn't take no for an answer?
So many questions swirled through his mind like a storm that wouldn't calm. And eventually, in the grip of all that uncertainty, Leo's eyes slowly closed.
Sleep took him.
****
Outside Leo's house, beneath the veil of night, two black-hooded figures stood silently.
Their presence was barely noticeable in the dim glow of the nearby street lamp. These weren't just ordinary visitors. They were agents of the Mage Association, sent to investigate the recent disturbances.
"Leo... Master of Pride,"
One of them murmured quietly, their voice muffled beneath the folds of the hood.
The second figure gave a slow, affirming nod, as if confirming the data they had gathered from Jing. With swift precision, both took a step forward, their boots brushing the edge of the concrete path leading to Leo's house. They were just about to enter—
"Hey…"
A quiet, almost ghostly voice echoed from behind them.
Both hooded figures stiffened immediately, their instincts screaming. They turned sharply.
From the shadows, a lone figure stepped out, half-concealed beneath a long coat and a cap pulled low, obscuring their face in darkness. The moonlight barely caught the curve of their chin.
Both of the Mage Association officers recoiled, their eyes widening in a mix of horror and disbelief. It was the kind of reaction that only came when someone witnessed something they were never meant to see.
"Y-You shouldn't be here…"
But it was already too late.
Snap.
The cap-wearing figure raised a hand and snapped their fingers.
In an instant—before either of the officers could utter a spell or defend themselves—only their empty black robes remained on the ground, gently fluttering in the breeze. No blood. No sound.
Just silence... and absence.
The figure didn't say a word. Turning away, they vanished back into the shadows from which they came—like they were never there.
Mage Association Headquarters
Inside a towering glass building that mirrored the skyline like any ordinary corporate structure, the truth was much stranger. Though it functioned like a business on the outside, inside it was anything but. This was part of the Mage Association.
In one of the upper floors, the mood was tense.
"What do you mean... the higher-ups don't want us investigating?"
The sharp, angry voice of a white-hooded figure cut through the sterile air of the meeting room.
Across from him sat a composed, white-haired woman. She lounged in a chair, her legs crossed elegantly, a pair of sleek glasses resting on her nose. Her expression was detached, almost amused.
She was the same woman Leo had briefly encountered before... inside a luxurious car, watching him like he was just another chess piece.
"It's exactly as I said... The Mage Council voted unanimously. No one is to interfere in this War… no matter how many lives it may cost."
Her words dropped like ice in the room.
The white-hooded figure fell silent for a beat, stunned.
"...Unanimously? That doesn't make sense."
With calm poise, the woman leaned forward and slid a sleek folder across the polished table.
"Here's the written document from Eden. The vote is final. The war will proceed without any intervention. No matter what happens," she said.
The hooded figure slowly took the document and flipped it open.
The woman stood, adjusting her glasses with a faint smile.
"And just to be clear," she added as she turned to leave, her voice laced with ownership and quiet threat, "That weakling... he's mine."
She walked out, heels echoing with power and certainty, muttering with amused expression,
"The Big Storm is about to begin... We cannot have you interfere with our fun, right~"
The white-hooded figure stared after her,
"Weakling?"
"What's going on here? Why would they vote like this? Why is Eden... getting involved at all?"