Before Leon could even ask something in response, Rebecca blurted out,

"Why can’t the Captain stay in the Empire, Dad?"

"After Victor’s death, the Empire undoubtedly intensified their efforts to hunt Leon down. Within three days, his bounty notices will be plastered across every street in the Empire, and the search for him will be far more vigorous than when they were after me."

Tiger analyzed calmly,

"Keeping him here will only increase his risks. And most importantly, since we need to uncover the conspiracy brewing between the Empire and the Dragon Clan, we can’t solely investigate within the Empire. Someone must go to the Dragon Clan’s territory to find the other half of the answer."

"And that person needs to be trusted by the Dragon Clan and have a deep understanding of them."

Trusted by the Dragon Clan... knowledgeable about the Dragon Clan...

Tiger and Rebecca instinctively turned their gaze toward Leon.

Leon blinked. "Do... do I look like someone trusted by the Dragon Clan...?"

"You married a dragon and had kids! How could they not trust you?" Rebecca questioned.

Martin was stunned. "Wait, wait, wait— the Captain married a dragon and had kids? When did this happen? Why didn’t I know? And aren’t humans and dragons supposed to have reproductive barriers?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you this afternoon. The Captain didn’t just have a child—he had three—talk about overachieving!" Rebecca raised three fingers proudly.

"Th-three?? Captain, in the Empire, that kind of number would incur a fine!"

Leon silently covered his face.

He wanted to escape, but there was no way out.

He’d thought the only time he’d face this kind of cringe-worthy interrogation (social suicide) was when he was with Roswitha.

Even with a long-distance relationship, they still wouldn’t spare him the embarrassment!

Tiger coughed and recomposed himself. "Since everyone is so optimistic about your rapport with the Dragon Clan, then this crucial mission of infiltrating enemy lines and gathering intelligence is entrusted to you, my dear apprentice."

"Master, where did you see that everyone is optimistic about my rapport with the Dragon Clan? We haven’t even discussed that yet!"

"Alright, let’s put it to a vote. Those in favor of Leon returning to the Dragon Clan to gather intelligence, please... breathe."

Martin was caught off guard.

Rebecca, however, wasted no time marching up to Leon and blowing exaggeratedly in his face.

"Okay. Four to one. Unanimously passed."

Four to one?

Oh~~

They were counting Victor too, weren’t they?

Master always made sure to be thorough, not overlooking any detail.

"Master... What you’re saying does make sense, but once I leave here, are you sure you’ll all be able to handle the Empire?"

"Of course. The Empire’s primary target is you. Once they realize you’ve fled the Empire, they won’t expend as much manpower and resources on us. And with you being in the Dragon Clan’s domain, they won’t be able to reach you directly. The best they can do is send someone like Constantine after you, but you’ve already given them a vivid lesson. It’s been proven that the mightiest Dragon Slayer’s reputation isn’t just empty boasting."

Tiger had always had immense faith in his apprentice's abilities. After all, in hundreds of years, there had only been one super-SSR, and being incredibly strong was only natural.

"In summary, if you return to the Silver Dragon, your chances of both ensuring your safety and uncovering intelligence will be far better than if you stayed here with us in the Empire."

"I agree with Dad’s suggestion," Rebecca declared.

"I support Mr. Tiger as well," Martin added.

Leon pressed his lips together, momentarily unable to make up his mind.

Seeing his apprentice’s hesitation, Tiger realized his earlier speech hadn’t hit the mark—it hadn’t touched the boy’s heart.

Alright then. If you remain so stubborn, don’t blame your master for being ruthless.

"And besides... you’ll be reunited with your wife."

Leon: ?

"Th-this is the focus? Am I that kind of person? Rebecca, am I?"

"If I had a wife that beautiful, I’d want to go home too. Captain, stop acting coy," Rebecca teased.

"Hey, you!... Martin, what about you? Do I look like the kind of man who prioritizes love over comradeship?"

Martin pondered for a moment and then replied earnestly, "Captain, you are at the age where it’s normal to think about your wife. It’s fine, it’s human."

"Nonsense! Ridiculous! I, Leon Casmod, would never abandon my comrades just to see my wife! Even if the Empire pursues me, even if my bounty notices are everywhere, I will never leave you all!"

"Tonight, we’ll send you out of the city."

"Got it—thank you, Master!"

...

Initially, the plan was to wait for things to settle down before sneaking Leon out of the city.

But given the likelihood that Leon’s wanted level would surpass the highest red-level rating, it was clear that this storm wasn’t something they could wait out.

So, they had to act quickly. Before the Empire realized Victor was dead, Leon would have to leave tonight.

Since Martin couldn’t risk being seen, he took the small path back into the city.

Leon, Tiger, and Rebecca, on the other hand, approached the Empire’s city gates.

By now, it was late at night, and torrential rain poured down, meaning no passing caravans or wagons could provide cover for Leon to hide.

Besides, after the recent battle at the church, the Empire was already aware of Leon’s presence and had undoubtedly tightened surveillance at the gates. Even trying to hide in a wagon would likely result in discovery.

Similarly, scaling the towering city walls was impossible. If they chose to take a detour, it would take at least a day and a night.

"Building walls this long must be so expensive," Rebecca said, her commentary characteristically offbeat.

The three of them crouched on the roof of a low building, observing the situation at the city gate.

Not only had extra patrol teams been stationed there, but the Empire had also placed cages on either side of the gate. Inside were ferocious Dangerous Beasts.

"Long-tailed Demonic Apes," Rebecca immediately identified the creatures in the cages. "They’re smart monsters—more coordinated than the average Dangerous Beasts. Their stamina and endurance are astonishing as well."

"Kid, in a moment, Rebecca and I will create a distraction at the gate. You take the opportunity to slip through."

Tiger instructed, "But they’ll definitely send someone to chase you. Are you confident you can escape?"

Leon’s expression turned serious. "It shouldn’t be a problem. And even if I can’t escape, I can always circle back."

Tiger sighed. "Don’t take it so lightly, kid. If you fail to escape and come back to the Empire, getting out again will be nearly impossible. This is our one and only opportunity."

Leon bit his lip, thought for a moment, and nodded. "Understood, Master."

"By the way, we’ll need to regularly exchange information and intel. What’s your plan for that?" Tiger asked.

After thinking for a moment, Leon replied, "How about every three months, we meet at the cave where you previously hid, Master?"

"No problem."

He really hadn’t expected that, even at the pivotal moment, his long-distance wife would still play a role.

With the information exchange plan confirmed, Tiger said, "Rebecca, fire a few shots to kick things off."

"No problem, Dad."

The wild little gunslinger loaded her pistols and stood atop the low building, firing several rounds into the sky shrouded by dark clouds.

The gunfire and flashes instantly caught the guards’ attention at the gate.

"It’s Rebecca Clement, the maximum-level (red) fugitive! Capture her!”

Hearing the cries of the guards, Rebecca snickered. “A couple of days ago, I was your colleague, and now I’m a maximum-level (red) fugitive. Hah, I told you—working a dead-end job in patrol squads is the most dangerous gamble!”

Tiger unsheathed his katana, turning back to instruct, “Kid, take care of yourself.”

“You too, Master. Rebecca—stay safe.”

“Got it, Captain. Now go home and see your wife!”

Leon chuckled helplessly, deciding not to argue further.

As the gunfire continued, Tiger and Rebecca leaped from the building and engaged the patrol squads.

Magic clashed with steel; bullets flew in all directions. The scene quickly descended into chaos.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Leon quietly made his way around the low building and toward the city gate.

At this point, the enormous city gate was tightly shut. Opening it would require at least four people working together to activate the mechanism.

But nearby was a special passage reserved for the royal family.

Leon couldn’t open the main gate, so he had no choice but to sneak through the special passage.

Now, however, two guards stood watch at the entrance to the special passage.

Taking them out wouldn’t be hard; the challenge was that it needed to be done swiftly, leaving no room for delay.

Leon readied himself and began creeping toward the entrance of the special passage.

The two guards, armed with long swords and standard-issue pistols on their belts, were focused entirely on the chaotic skirmish in front of them and didn’t notice Leon approaching from behind.

Crouching and moving with silent steps, Leon closed the distance inch by inch.

Once he was close enough, Leon struck quickly, delivering a knife-hand chop to the back of one guard’s neck, rendering him unconscious.

The other guard reacted swiftly, raising his sword to strike at Leon.

If you think you’re naive, think about how an Empire security guard once believed he could take on the mightiest Dragon Slayer, General Lai, armed with nothing but a short blade.

Leon effortlessly disarmed the guard. The man, refusing to give up, reached for his sidearm, but before he could aim, Leon floored him with a sweeping kick.

After swiftly dispatching the guards, Leon took one last glance at the battle raging behind him where his master and Rebecca fought.

"Take care, both of you."

He whispered before turning away. Charging up his hand, Leon unleashed a Chidori blast, shattering the door to the special passage.

With long strides, he sprinted through the opening and out of the Empire’s walls.

The guards, who had been entangled with Tiger and Rebecca, heard the commotion and turned to see Leon fleeing in the distance.

"It’s Casmod! After him! Release the Long-tailed Demonic Apes Monkeys! We must catch him!"

With that order, the cages were opened, and the Devil Monkeys howled in excitement as they bolted after Leon.

The torrential rain was relentless, and the ground beneath Leon’s feet was a muddy mess, severely hampering his speed.

The long-tailed demonic apes were beasts after all, and running on all fours was second nature to them.

The distance between the two sides grew shorter and shorter.

The apes' screeches became increasingly shrill, like mocking cries, taunting their prey, now within reach.

Leon sprinted onward as he stole a glance backward at the two apes chasing him. Without hesitation, he raised his right hand, and faint arcs of lightning flickered in his palm.

The looming storm clouds above began churning violently.

Thunder roared, and the next instant, a thick bolt of lightning tore down from the heavens, striking the two demonic apes and instantly reducing them to ash.

After unleashing this attack, Leon's steps faltered slightly.

"Tch, my magic buildup is still too slow..."

He muttered under his breath, quickly adjusting his pace before bolting toward the forest ahead.

Past the forest lay mountains to cross, followed by a barren wasteland. Only then could Leon reach the borderlands shared by humans and the Dragon Clan.

It sounded simple enough, yet in reality, even with Lucas's exceptional endurance, it would take at least half a month of tireless journeying to reach that point.

And that would only mark the edge of human territory. To actually get to the Silver Dragon Clan, it would take another ten or more days.

Roughly calculating the time required for the journey, Leon came to a halt under a large tree. Leaning against its trunk, he lifted a hand to wipe rainwater from his face.

"Suddenly, I envy that female dragon... having wings means you can just take off whenever you like."

Famed for their speed, the Silver Dragon Clan could cover this entire stretch in just three hours.

After voicing this little complaint to no one in particular, Leon stepped forward, preparing to continue his trek.

But just then, sharp cries of the demonic apes pierced through the rain from every direction.

Leon froze for a moment, his heart tightening. "Looks like the Empire was prepared for this..."

Leaves rustled in the wind, branches groaned under strain.

Leon surveyed his surroundings cautiously, alert for the cunning ambushes of these Dangerous Beasts.

The eerie screeches echoed amidst the veil of rain.

These creatures weren’t rushing into an attack; instead, they seemed intent on toying with Leon, chipping away at his resolve bit by bit.

Leon tried to channel his magic, but the electric spark in his palm flickered briefly before vanishing completely.

"Roar!!"

As if realizing their prey had depleted its magic, a long-tailed demon ape darted out from the flank like an ominous shadow, lunging toward Leon.

Leon reacted swiftly. In that split instant before the beast reached him, he leaned forward into a combat stance and delivered a fierce, piercing punch directly to the ape's abdomen.

The beast howled in agony, and Leon seized the moment to grab hold of its tail with both hands, slamming his foot down to shatter its leg.

The injured ape clutched its broken limb, shrieking in pain—a sound that promptly attracted more of its kin.

One after another, they emerged, surrounding Leon like the relentless torrents of rain.

Leon assessed the situation quickly. At least forty of them.

"Dammit, looks like I've stirred up a hornet's nest."

Unlike other Dangerous Beasts, long-tailed demonic apes were adept at teamwork and tactical maneuvers.

Leon understood this well, and he had no intention of dragging the fight out.

Besides, the Empire’s soldiers tracking him were likely closing in. He couldn’t afford to waste time or energy here.

He had to escape immediately.

Leon studied the pack of apes, his gaze honing in on a single target. The next moment, his foot slammed into the muddy earth, kicking up rain and dirt as he dove toward that specific demon ape.

Before the pack could react, Leon was already among them, striking furiously.

Roars erupted continuously—howls brimming with excitement, pain, triumph, threats, and fury.

Relying solely on his combat skills, Leon carved a path of destruction through these beasts.

After breaking through their encirclement, he sprinted toward the opening, aiming to escape.

The apes scattered through the forest, leaping from branch to branch and relentlessly pursuing Leon from all directions.

This wasn’t a simple chase. The apes were methodically wearing him down, draining Leon’s stamina as he went.

"Dammit... This is getting tricky."

Leon began to grasp the creatures’ strategy, but he lacked any effective means to counteract it.

After breaking through yet another three encirclements, he found shelter beneath a massive tree and slumped against its trunk, breathing heavily.

Leon closed his eyes, allowing himself a moment to recover his strength.

The pouring rain drenched him entirely. His fatigued body was losing heat to the cold, accelerating his exhaustion.

He lifted a chilled hand to brush back rain-soaked bangs from his forehead. Leaning against the rough bark, he gazed at the storm-gray sky above.

He was still on the outer fringes of the Empire's territory, far from escaping it, yet his stamina was already dangerously low.

Once again, the screeches of demonic apes reverberated through the forest.

Closer and closer... nearer and nearer...

Leon turned his gaze toward the distant walls of the Empire, pondering, "Should I go back...?"

The road to the Dragon Clan was far too long and perilous. The journey ahead promised nothing but hardship and danger.

Yet if he turned back now, within just an hour, he could return to the Empire, reuniting with his mentor and Rebecca.

Even if his investigation into the conspiracy had to be confined to the Empire, the outcome would simply take a little longer—slower progress, that’s all.

Going back... would be so easy.

But if he did, he might never see NoaMuen, or his little daughter, ever again.

Never see them...

"Roar!"

Rustling sounds.

Several demonic apes descended from the trees, landing all around Leon.

They scrutinized the exhausted prey before them, screeching gleefully, their calls laden with mockery.

Leon gritted his teeth and grabbed the tree trunk to push himself up.

But the slick, muddy ground betrayed him, and he slipped back down.

"Roar-roar! Oooh~~" The apes pounded their chests and let out strange noises, openly ridiculing Leon.

The Dragon Slayer's eyes darkened, void of any warmth.

He slowly stood himself upright once again, stepping toward the nearest ape that dared to taunt him.

…

Half an hour later, the corpses of long-tailed demonic apes nearly covered every inch of the clearing.

Leon, drenched in blood, slumped back down into the mud against the same tree. Even breathing was now a struggle.

From the distance, the faint voices of Empire soldiers gradually began closing in.

Leon closed his eyes. Across the fleeting twenty-three years of his illustrious yet brief life, he had never once backed down after resolving to do something.

But this time, the endless road ahead coupled with the imminent danger made him falter.

The rain kept falling, as though intent on extinguishing the fragile ember that had driven him to this point.

With his head resting against the rugged tree bark, Leon let the icy rain pour freely over his face.

But in the next moment, the rain suddenly stopped.

And yet, the sound of rainfall persisted.

Leon froze for a moment, startled, and then slowly opened his eyes.

A silver-haired beauty stood silently before him. The rain had soaked her long dress, but she shielded Leon from the storm with her dragon wings.

One standing, one sitting—they locked eyes. Just like so many times before.

The faint ember of hope reignited in Leon’s lifeless eyes as his black pupils reflected the radiant silver light before him.

"You... didn’t leave, did you?"

"No. I never left."

"Roswitha…"

"Let’s go home, Leon."