At the borderlands between human and dragon territories, deep within the dense forest, a young girl was sprinting relentlessly, occasionally casting nervous glances behind her.

Her expression was one of sheer terror, as if she were fleeing from a deadly pursuer.

Even though there was no one in sight behind her, she dared not pause for even a second.

It wasn’t simply about evading the pursuit of those three individuals; she also had to lure them far enough away to ensure that her mentor wouldn’t be discovered.

However, long-distance running was not a strength of the gunslinger. Predictably, her movements were soon caught by the three figures trailing her.

The rustling of leaves above her head sounded ominous, like an invisible cage gradually closing in on her.

Suddenly, a man’s voice emerged from the darkness of the forest.

“Stop running, Rebecca. Surrender obediently and come back to the Empire with us.”

Rebecca reacted quickly, raising her handgun and firing three shots in the direction of the voice.

The gunfire startled away the forest birds, but it failed to hit any of her pursuers.

Rebecca knew perfectly well that such a weapon was entirely ineffective against those three individuals.

She kept running. Though she didn’t know where she could escape to, she chose to flee for as long as possible.

She had to buy time—time for the captain to arrive. If she could manage that, there might still be hope of saving her mentor.

Fueled by this belief, even as her strength was nearly depleted, Rebecca didn’t slow down at all.

She darted deeper into the forest.

Meanwhile, on a treetop, the three figures observed her closely. In their eyes, the weak and tiny figure of the girl was nothing more than a desperate mouse struggling in vain.

“She must know the rendezvous between Tiger and Leon, as well as detailed intel about that so-called Lionheart Association. Lord Scott ordered us to capture her alive, do you understand?” the trio’s leader, Ginny said.

“Yes, Captain.”

A brief pause followed. Ginny didn’t hear a response from the third individual, so he glanced upward.

“Gimme, didn’t you hear my orders?”

The man named Gimme stood on a treetop opposite. After hearing Ginny’s question, he glanced down at his empty right arm and asked,

“Captain, can I not just take off one of her arms to settle the score with her before bringing her back?”

“It was Tiger who cut off your arm, not this gunslinger. If you want revenge, at least pick the right target.”

Ginny snorted coldly before conceding, “Fine. In any case, none of these people will survive in the end. As long as she’s still breathing, you can handle the rest however you want.”

With that, a smile spread across Gimme’s face. “Thank you, Captain. Then I’ll gladly oblige!”

With their strategy agreed upon, the trio vanished in a flash, resuming their pursuit into the forest.

Rebecca’s desperate escape continued.

Upon reaching a patch of undergrowth, she took advantage of her petite stature and crouched down to hide within it.

Whoever thought being short had no advantages?

This was practically a natural blessing for hiding in bushes!

Grateful for the rare moment to catch her breath, Rebecca seized the opportunity to recover some of her stamina.

She leaned against the shrubbery and closed her eyes briefly.

Her thighs and ankles trembled slightly—clear signs of exhaustion—and she could hardly grip the handgun in her hand anymore.

Rebecca checked the remaining bullets in her magazine.

“Just four rounds left…”

Despair crept over her.

Rebecca was a gunslinger, which meant her greatest reliance was on the firearms in her hands. When it came to close combat, she was no match for the Blade Trio.

After all, those three individuals were powerful enough to assassinate Dragon Kings, just as Leon had been in the past.

Her mentor had fought with all his might to sever one of their arms, buying precious time for their escape.

But that was only a temporary reprieve. The Blade Trio had quickly located them again.

Now, Rebecca’s only hope was for the captain to arrive in time and take their mentor away.

As for herself…

Rebecca rested her head against the shrubbery. The ties holding her twin ponytails had come loose, letting her soft, turquoise hair cascade down. At this moment, she emanated a fragile, broken beauty.

“If I can just get the evidence to the captain… he’ll surely be able to overthrow that damn emperor.”

From the moment she had resolved to side with Leon, Rebecca had anticipated an end like this.

Looking back, it had still been a fulfilling journey—unearthing piece by piece the Empire’s web of conspiracies, founding the Lionheart Association, and even becoming friends with Leon’s beautiful wife.

If she had any regrets, it would be not holding the captain’s and his wife’s three adorable daughters in her arms.

And... she wouldn’t live to see the day when the captain’s name was cleared and the Empire was toppled.

“Well, whatever…” she consoled herself, forcing her exhausted body to stand. “This isn’t a bad way to go.”

Above her, the rustling leaves sounded once more.

In the next instant, the three figures descended in unison, surrounding Rebecca in a triangular formation.

“We’ve finally caught you, little girl.”

The Blade Trio’s leader, Ginny, emerged from the shadows with a smug, triumphant smile.

Rebecca raised her handgun, aiming it squarely at Ginny’s forehead, and without hesitation, she pulled the trigger.

Bang!

After the shot rang out, Ginny remained unharmed.

A glowing white magical barrier hovered in front of him, having intercepted the bullet.

“As the Empire’s former premier gunslinger, you should know that a non-enchanted bullet can’t penetrate a magical shield,” Ginny sneered. “Or is it that you’re too exhausted to enchant your bullets anymore?”

Rebecca answered his mockery with two more bullets.

But, as Guinea had said, unenchanted bullets stood no chance against a magical shield.

“An Empire-standard handgun, magazine capacity of thirteen rounds. From when we first exchanged blows until now, you’ve already fired twelve,” Ginny remarked leisurely.

“So, young lady, that leaves one bullet, correct?”

“Captain, enough with the chatter. Let me cut off this girl’s arm first, then we can interrogate her about Tiger’s whereabouts,” Gimme eagerly suggested.

“Be patient, Gimme. Don’t you like savoring the prey’s expression of despair?”

Guinea crossed his arms and walked slowly toward Rebecca. “I quite enjoy her defiance mixed with despair in her eyes.”

The Blade Trio, the merciless killers of countless Dragon Kings on the battlefield, saw cornering a gunslinger as child’s play.

But they relished the thrill of toying with their prey.

Just as they had done with countless Dragon Clan victims on the battlefield—watching them beg for mercy gave them unparalleled satisfaction.

They had survived trials more grueling than hell itself, emerging from thousands of contenders, risking death to fuse with Primordial Power. All of it for moments like these.

So Ginny intended to revel in every hunt.

“Little girl, if you tell us where Tiger is now, I might just put in a word for you before Lord Scott. Perhaps he’d even spare your life.”

Rebecca’s tense expression suddenly relaxed. She sneered disdainfully and retorted,

“If you want to know where my mentor is, I’ll make sure to die before telling you, you sick pervert.”

“Such insolence.”

Ginny stopped in his tracks, his gaze turning sharper and more menacing as it bore into her.

“Rebecca Clement, former gunslinger of the Empire’s Dragon Slayer Army First Squad. You stand accused of multiple murders and seditious activities within the Empire. For your treason, we are authorized to apprehend you by any means necessary.”

Rebecca lowered her brows, her eyes igniting with a fierce and resolute light. Looking at Ginny, she said word by word,

“F**k you.”

“It seems violence is the only language you understand. Gimme, you may proceed.”

“I’ve been waiting for this, Captain!”

The one-armed Gimme stepped forward, his sole hand crackling as it gathered Primordial Power.

Rebecca turned her head slightly, her gaze fixing on the accumulating energy in his hand.

If such an attack hit her directly, she’d be incapacitated instantly, and from that point, the trio could extract every secret she knew about the captain and her mentor.

She would never let them succeed.

“You three sick bastards, the captain will never let you get away with this.”

“The captain? Leon Casmode? Hah, don’t worry. After you’re dead, he’ll join you soon enough,” Ginny sneered before elaborating. “Right after we pry all the information we need from your head, of course.”

“Heh… You’ll get nothing from me!”

With a powerful scream, Rebecca raised her handgun in defiance.

The trio, assuming she was firing at them again, immediately activated their magical shields.

But to their utter shock, Rebecca pointed the muzzle at her own temple!

“You’re right. I’ve only got one bullet left. It’s not enough to break through your shields—but it’s more than enough to end my own life.”

She had always been this kind of unyielding and reckless girl. If she were going to die, it would be on her own terms.

Ginny’s heart sank, and he shouted,

“Stop her! If she dies, we lose all chances of finding Tiger!”

At his command, all three lunged toward Rebecca simultaneously.

But no matter how fast the Blade Trio was, they were no match for the speed of Rebecca pulling the trigger at point-blank range.

Her finger tightened on the trigger, her eyelids lowering slightly.

A single tear slid down her cheek as she smiled faintly, whispering,

“Goodbye, Leon.”

Ginny and his team dove at her from three different directions.

In the split second that she squeezed the trigger, time seemed to freeze.

Rebecca vividly heard the mechanical click within the gun, the bullet sliding into the chamber, and the flash of dark flame from the muzzle. The copper bullet spiraled forth, homing toward her fragile skull.

“Damn it!!!” Ginny roared mid-pounce.

Never in his wildest calculations did he think the girl would choose such an extreme measure to thwart their interrogation.

The Primordial Power coursing through his body had significantly enhanced his senses, strength, regenerative ability, magical power, and speed.

But no matter how fast he was, he wasn’t faster than a bullet at such close range.

Damn it!

How could anyone in this world possibly keep up with a bullet?

That’s simply absurd.

And just as Ginny doubted his own speed, a streak of blue lightning flashed across his eyes without warning.

Its speed was astonishing.

The lightning kicked up a cloud of dust, forcing the trio to retreat several meters.

Once they reached a safe distance, Ginny looked up toward Rebecca’s direction.

The smoke gradually cleared, and a black handgun lay on the ground.

The bullet that should have pierced through Rebecca’s skull was instead embedded in the trunk of a tree on the right.

Lying on the ground, a man shielded Rebecca with his body.

Blue electrical currents flickered across his figure as he slowly stood up. After confirming that Rebecca was still alive, he let out a sigh of relief.

Shaken and still recovering, Rebecca slowly opened her eyes, staring in disbelief at the man in front of her.

The next second, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. She threw herself into his arms, clinging to him like a child who’d suffered a great injustice.

Leon gently patted her head.

“It’s okay now, Rebecca. You’re safe.”

In the distance, the trio of assassins stood frozen in place.

Was that… Leon Casmode?

His speed just now… had surpassed the bullet?!

“How is that possible… How is that even possible…”

Even Ginny was struggling to believe what had just happened before his eyes.

The three of them, enhanced by Primordial Power, were considered the strongest humans alive.

But this guy… he seemed to be on an entirely different level.

“Would you like to experience being a Dragon Knight, Rebecca?” Leon asked softly.

“What… What does that mean?”

“Sorry about this. Hang tight.”

“Huh? W-wait! What are you—Ahhhhhhhhh!”

Before Rebecca could grasp what he was saying, Leon hurled her small figure into the air.

In the next moment, a silver silhouette streaked past, catching Rebecca securely.

When Rebecca opened her eyes, she found herself lying atop a massive dragon.

“S-sister-in-law! Sister-in-law!!”

“Hold on tight. We’re heading someplace safe to wait for Leon.”

“O-okay!”

Roswitha flapped her dragon wings and accelerated, soaring out of the woods.

Meanwhile, back in the forest, Leon stood facing the trio of assassins but showed no intention of engaging them in combat.

He and Roswitha were heading to a mountain cave when the commotion from this direction caught their attention, prompting them to investigate.

By chance, they discovered Rebecca being pursued by the assassin trio. Clearly, their master’s whereabouts had been exposed.

Rather than wasting time fighting these people, it would be better to find a safe haven and strategize a proper countermeasure.

As much as Leon wanted to test the strength of these three, the current situation didn’t allow him to act recklessly.

Leon surveyed the trio, and his eyes finally landed on the one-armed Gimme.

Breaking through from Gimme’s position seemed to be the best option.

After quickly forming a plan, Leon activated the Nine Hells Gate technique. Lightning crackled in his hands. Leon formed a Chidori, as he charged straight toward Gimme.

“Gimme, watch out! This guy is ridiculously fast—”

Before Ginny could finish his warning, Leon had already appeared in front of the one-armed Gimme.

Gimme froze momentarily, both astonished by Leon’s speed and aware enough to immediately prepare a counterattack.

He summoned his Primordial Power, aiming to strike Leon.

But instead of engaging head-on, Leon exploited a gap in Gimme’s defense, slipping past his unguarded right side.

When Gimme turned to launch a second attack, he realized that Leon had already disappeared.

The entire sequence had occurred in an instant. Leon, a living person, had vanished before their very eyes.

Staring into the dark forest ahead, the trio felt a creeping chill work its way up their spines.

After a pause, Ginny finally spoke, his voice low. “We’re retreating.”

…

After evading the assassin trio, Leon quickly regrouped with Roswitha.

Once reunited, the three flew toward the mountain cave.

“Rebecca, were your and Master’s movements exposed?” Leon asked.

“Yes. Based on what they said, it seems they figured out our activity patterns as far back as when Erandy was still in power. Now that Erandy has been stripped of his position due to Constantine’s berserk rampage, Scott has taken over—and he wasted no time ordering our capture.”

Leon blinked. “Where’s Master? Where did he go?”

Upon hearing this, a look of sorrow flashed across Rebecca’s face.

“Our mentor… he was gravely injured. I left him in the cave, hoping to lure the assassin trio away and hold them off long enough for you to arrive.”

Leon nodded and placed a reassuring hand on Rebecca’s shoulder. “Thank you, Rebecca.”

Upon hearing that Tiger was gravely injured, Roswitha immediately accelerated, heading straight for the mountain cave.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the waterfall-hidden cave.

“Mentor! Mentor, Captain’s here!”

Rebecca wasted no time rushing inside.

Leon and Roswitha followed closely behind.

“Cough… cough…”

From within the dark cave came the sound of labored coughing.

Leon’s heart tightened, and he unconsciously picked up his pace.

When he finally stepped closer, the sight left him stunned.

Tiger lay on a makeshift bed of hay, fresh blood spilling from his chest. It had soaked through his garments, dyeing the yellow grass beneath him a deep red.

“Master! Master, you—”

Leon hurried over to check on Tiger’s condition.

“During our escape, mentor pushed himself to the limit to sever Gimme’s arm, giving us a chance to flee. But his own heart was critically injured in the process,” Rebecca explained in a somber tone.

“I managed to stabilize his condition temporarily with healing magic, but it won’t last long. He’s got six hours at most. Captain… an injury like this…”

Leon had witnessed the sacrifices of comrades on countless occasions. He knew exactly what Rebecca was trying to say.

Injuries of this severity could only be temporarily treated with healing magic.

Once the effects wore off, life would inevitably fade.

Crack.

Leon’s fists clenched tightly, his hands trembling with suppressed anger. His jaw tightened until his teeth nearly ground together, a deep sense of despair consuming him.

His master had raised him from childhood, training him to become the Empire’s most formidable Dragon Slayer. Without Tiger, there would be no Leon as he was today.

When Leon was framed and ostracized by the Empire, Tiger fought tooth and nail to clear his name.

What Tiger had done for Leon had long surpassed the responsibilities of a foster father.

And now… it had come to this?

Guilt and self-reproach filled Leon’s heart, overwhelming him.

“Kid… Kid…” Tiger’s weak voice called out.

“Master! I’m here. I’m right here!”

“Sea… The sea…”

In Tiger's dying moments, his vision blurred. Even speaking required immense effort.

“What sea? Master, I’m listening!”

“The Sea… Dragon… Clan…”

Leon’s eyes widened abruptly, his pupils trembling visibly.

“Go… to the Sea Dragon Clan… Kid, take me to the Sea Dragon Clan!”