"In conclusion, losing all the Heart-Guarding Dragon Scales has undoubtedly dealt a significant blow to the Empire, but it has also thoroughly enraged them."

Tiger spoke in a low voice, "Ever since the lab explosion, the order for arrest on Rebecca and me has intensified. Even Martin has been called for a talk a couple of times."

Hearing this, Leon frowned slightly, "Did they start to suspect Martin?"

Martin had once been the youngest of Leon's comrades, joining the Empire's Dragon Slayer Army out of admiration for Leon.

After finding out that the Empire and Victor planned to frame Leon up, Martin had chosen without hesitation to stand on Leon's side.

Unlike Rebecca, who was completely on her own, Martin came from a family of royal officials. He could have quietly avoided this storm and remained a nobleman living in peace.

While soaring to great heights might not have been guaranteed, he could have at least lived out the rest of his life free from disaster.

However, Martin had decided to act as an informant within the royal court for Leon and the others, doing everything he could to gather intelligence.

If anything happened to him, Leon would never forgive himself.

"With his father shielding him, the royals wouldn’t dare touch Martin. They merely questioned him a few times."

Leon's master's words allowed him to relax slightly.

"You know, ever since the Empire put out a bounty on us, their first move was naturally to investigate people we used to associate with. And as your teammate during your service in the Dragon Slayer Army, Martin was naturally on their list of targets. However, because of Martin's father, they’ve refrained from taking direct action."

Tiger continued, "But blowing up the Heart-Guarding Dragon Scales not only severed a vital limb of the Empire but also enraged them to the point of throwing caution to the wind. Still, that boy Martin is clever. He left no traces behind. He managed to keep himself well-hidden, and the Empire found nothing on him."

"That said... gathering intelligence might be a bit difficult from now on."

Leon nodded. "It’s fine, Master. Compared to intel, survival is more important. Tell Martin not to push himself—just do what he can."

"Alright, I will," Tiger replied.

Tiger let out a slow breath, gently tapping the sheath of his katana with his forefinger. He said slowly, "The Empire won’t easily give up on their monster-fusion project. Their large-scale capture of Dangerous Beasts is proof enough of that. I'll continue keeping an eye on them, to ensure that we stop them before they create their next monster."

Leon’s gaze flickered, but he didn’t immediately agree to his master's suggestion. "Master, not just Martin—please, you and Rebecca should also be extra cautious. Like I said, survival is more important than intelligence. If anything happens to you, how am I supposed to face your wife? She would scold me to death."

Tiger was momentarily stunned, raising his grayed eyebrows before chuckling. "She is tens of thousands of miles away. Don’t worry, her scolding can’t reach you."

"So... when can I meet her, anyway?"

"Don’t be hasty. Here, kid—"

As he spoke, Tiger pulled out a camera, aimed it at Leon, and clicked the shutter. "Smile."

*Click—*

Leon was startled, "What is this...?"

Tiger looked down at the preview on the camera, nodding in satisfaction. "She told me not to bring back only pictures of our granddaughters this time—she wanted one of you as well. Tsk, kid, you seem to have lost some weight."

Spending his days at Silver Dragon Castle, indulging in an 'improperly cozy' post-marriage life with that mother dragon, would certainly slim anyone down.

*Cough, cough—*

But this was only part of the reason.

Ever since Leon had witnessed Constantine, the terrifying super-stitched zombie dragon, in action, he hadn’t been able to shake the lingering dread.

The Empire was already capable of creating such a horrifying monster; who knew what even more grotesque creatures they might create next?

Leon rarely feared anything to this degree, but when he did, he was terrible at managing the resulting anxiety, which, unsurprisingly, dampened his appetite.

"Master, seriously, both you and Rebecca must—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. Safety first."

Tiger carefully put away the camera. "Now then... there’s one more thing. About those three people you mentioned earlier."

Leon thought for a moment and quickly realized whom his master were referring to:

Ginny, Gittai, and Gimei.

The Blade Trio.

In the future, twenty years ahead, these three individuals dominated dragon-slaying battlefields, earning the title "Leon Casmode 2.0."

However, the power they wielded did not originate from themselves or from human magic.

Still, one thing was clear: if the Empire was allowed to cultivate these three, it would create three formidable enemies for the years to come.

That was why Leon had previously asked his master to keep an eye on them during their last intelligence exchange.

"Any news about them?"

"Yes. The Empire is secretly conducting a project called ‘Blade,’ aiming to cultivate a new generation of ultimate dragon-slaying weapons."

At this, Tiger paused slightly, his lips pressing together as though recalling some unpleasant memory.

Leon spoke softly, concern lacing his voice, "Master?"

"Ah... it’s nothing."

Tiger took a deep breath before continuing, "The Empire is training them, much like how they once trained me and you. But this time... the Empire has wised up."

Tiger lowered his eyes to gaze at the katana lying on the table.

"The sharper a blade, the sturdier its sheath must be—only then can it avoid injuring its owner."

"The Empire has poured resources into the Blade Trio far exceeding what they invested in you years ago. They’ve also implemented extensive contingency measures to ensure that these sharp blades never turn against them."

"In other words... in the future, aside from dealing with super-monsters like Constantine, we may also face the most loyal and ferociously biting hunting dogs the Empire has ever created."

Hearing his master's words, Leon fell into deep thought.

His master had just mentioned "the future," and Leon was the only one who had ever visited it.

In a version of the world twenty years hence—a world "without Leon"—the human Empire had seized control of almost all aspects of war. Their methods were endless.

Externally, they leveraged the Blade Trio’s unparalleled strength to dominate the battlefields; internally, they used their continuous string of victories to bolster the populace's faith.

Thus, calling it a "future without Leon" was less accurate than calling it a "future dominated by the Empire."

And it was clear that such a future was utterly abysmal.

People lived within the illusion known as "tranquility," paying taxes to corrupt and depraved rulers while remaining obliviously content.

When the Empire waged wars, it was never for humanity, but always for themselves.

Leon had made a promise to Noa of the future: he definitely would rewrite the history. He would find a way through this chaotic stream of time.

He had made a promise—and he would never go back on it.

"Whether it’s super zombies or the Blade Trio, it doesn’t matter what kind of monsters the Empire creates. There’s only one option for us, Master."

The two locked eyes. In unison, they declared:

"Fight to the death."