The iron bars felt like they would shatter the bones in his leg. But what shattered was the iron itself. *GIIIIIIIN!!* The shriek of twisting metal. Iron rods blown away, stabbing into the sand. The arena fell utterly silent. Three hundred murmuring spectators all gasped at once. The betting slips in their hands drooped limply. Some even dropped their mugs of ale. "Wh-what the hell is that guy...!?" Someone shouted. Leon stood upon the sand. His left eyelid was swollen, only half-open. His back was caked with blood and mud. He could even hear his own ribs creaking. (*Damn, that hurts.*) But that was all. "[angry]Lilia...!!" Leon raised the Black Apocalypse in both hands before his chest. "[angry]I'm not fighting because of an order—I'm fighting by my own will! Even so—lend me your power!!" It was a scream that felt like it would tear his throat apart. That was the moment. The grimoire unleashed a blinding black radiance. *DOOOOOOOOOM!!* A shockwave tore through the arena. The torch flames wavered in unison, and screams rose from the spectator seats. From within the light, she appeared. Jet-black hair swaying gently, both hands planted on her hips. Crimson eyes narrowed with amusement. "[sarcastic]Took you long enough to figure it out, you idiot disciple." It was Lilia. Her voice was cold, but her lips alone were smiling. "[excited]Li-Lilia...! You—" "[cold]Explanation later. Right now, deal with that stupid giant dog." Lilia jerked her chin. Looking over, Iron Fang was growling. Right in front of Tina's frail body, bound in chains. Its fangs glistened with drool. "[serious]This is the true power of the Black Apocalypse—usable only when you've shown your resolve." Lilia snapped her fingers. In that instant, black markings raced across Leon's arm. Like a serpent—no, like chains—from arm to shoulder, from shoulder to his entire body. "[serious]Gravity Domain—Gravity Zone." Just hearing its name, he understood. Leon slammed his hand against the ground. *DOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!* The entire arena warped. The air grew heavy. The sand caved in. The pillars groaned and shrieked. "GYAAAAAA—!!" Iron Fang screamed. That iron-colored demon beast collapsed to its knees, as if crushed under ten times its own weight. Its front legs sank into the sand. Its fangs scraped the ground. "[cold]Not yet. Apply more pressure." "[angry]UOOOOOOOH!!" He poured even more power into his hand. *DOOM!!* This time, the beast's massive body was slammed completely flat against the ground. A prostrate lump of iron. It couldn't even growl. Only its tail twitched spasmodically. "Wh-what just happened—" "That man who broke the iron bars with his bare hands...!" The spectator seats erupted into chaos. "[angry]That thing is merchandise!! Stop him!!" Volg the manager grabbed the railing and roared. But his legs wouldn't move either. Caught in the gravity field, he couldn't take a single step forward. The guards were the same. "[sarcastic]Overdo it and he'll die. Stop at just the right point, you piece of trash." "[angry]You're telling me that NOW!? How the hell do I adjust this thing!?" Leon shouted desperately. The sensation of weight transmitted through his palms—it was finally starting to feel familiar in his body. (*Any more than this... is no good.*) He knew it instinctively. Leon released his hand. The gravity field vanished in an instant. Iron Fang's eyes had rolled back; it was completely unconscious. It was still breathing. He hadn't killed it. "Hahh... hahh..." Breathing heavily, Leon stood before Lilia, whose lips softened just a little. "[gentle]............Right now, you're at least somewhat useful." It was a whisper so quiet it was barely audible. Leon ran. To where Tina was. The chains coiled around the pillar—he touched his hand to their base. "[serious]Compress... right here—!!" *Creak... SNAP!!* The chains shattered into pieces. He caught Tina's collapsing body in both arms. She was small. Her bones were visible. So frail she seemed like she might break. "[gentle]It's okay now. It's over." He patted her back lightly. Tina remained silent for a while. Her silver hair pressed against Leon's chest. Her wolf ears lay flat and still. Her body began to tremble, ever so slightly. "[whispers]............" Her lips moved, trying to say something. But no voice came out. Tina gripped the chest of Leon's clothes tightly. "[whispers]............I want to live." It was a voice on the verge of vanishing. "[whispers]............With you." Tears welled up in Leon's eyes. (*This girl—until now, just how long has she been all alone—*) He couldn't find the words. Leon simply placed his hand on Tina's head and held her tightly in return. Tina's wolf ears twitched happily. "[sarcastic]............How noisy." Lilia turned away and muttered. But her lips had softened, just the slightest bit—and Leon was probably the only one who noticed. That was when it happened. "[scared]......Shit!" At the edge of the spectator seats, a man moved. It was Zack. His face pale, he was trying to slip away into the crowd. "[cold]—You think I'd let you run?" Leon aimed one hand. Gravity concentrated on a single point. *THUD!!* Zack's body dropped to its knees like a sandbag. "Wh-what the...!! My legs—won't move!?" Zack struggled, but he couldn't take a single step. Leon walked over. Covered in sand, covered in blood, his left eye still swollen. But his brown eyes alone—carrying a quiet certainty—looked down at Zack. "[cold]You set all of this up, didn't you? You're going to spill everything." "[angry]Wh-what are you talking about!? I don't know any—" "[cold]............" Leon said nothing. He simply stared. It wasn't anger. It was a gaze that declared: *Your deceptions won't work on me anymore.* Zack's face grew even paler. "[sarcastic]It's wise to bring a witness back alive, you idiot disciple." Lilia interjected from the side. "[surprised]Whoa!? When did you—!?" Lilia, who should have been beside Tina just moments ago, was now floating right next to him. "[cold]It's not something that can be taught. There was meaning in you realizing it yourself." Lilia looked away. "[surprised]............So that's how it is." The binding of absolute obedience—its true meaning. It wasn't about forcing him to follow orders. It was about waiting until the contractor found his own will. "[excited]Then tell me sooner!! Do you know how many chapters I thought this took—" "[angry]Shut up! It's your fault for being slow to notice!" Lilia lightly rapped Leon on the head. That was when it happened. *Tug.* The edge of his clothes was pulled. It was Tina. From within Leon's arms, she was looking up at Lilia. "[whispers]............Leon is." "[whispers]............Whose is he?" She murmured quietly. "[surprised]Huh?" Lilia's eyebrows shot up. "[surprised]Wait, I belong to someone!?" Leon let out a bewildered yelp. Tina said nothing more. She simply kept her gaze lowered, still gently gripping the edge of Leon's clothes. "[angry]You useless fool—is this really the time to be surrounded by women!?" "[angry]I'm not surrounded! And anyway, you're the one who dragged me into this!" As the two shouted at each other, Tina's ears twitched again. This time, just a little—happily. That was when it happened. "[scared]Don't move!!" Several men were fleeing through a dark exit at the back of the spectator seats. Hergain Trading Company's underlings. "[angry]Dammit—!" He wanted to chase them. But he couldn't move while holding Tina. The underlings' backs vanished beyond the rubble. (*It's... still not all over.*) Several pillars had collapsed from the aftershock of the gravity magic. Spectators were flooding toward the exits, screams and angry shouts flying everywhere. Amid the chaos. Only Leon, Tina, and Lilia stood quietly upon the sand. "[serious]............Let's go." With Zack still bound by gravity, Leon took a step forward. His eyes tracked the fleeing underlings' backs. The battle wasn't over yet. But—he wasn't alone anymore.