Chapter 15

Leon would never retreat—not even against an angelic foe. Naya stood behind him.

"My Lord," said the Cherub, "your final mission awaits. Leave this to us."

"Very well," declared the High Priest. "This is Mercurial Deity’s ultimate trial for you. Slay this man and woman, then join me above!" He hoisted Ruri onto his shoulder and vanished. The Twelve Royal Angels blocked Leon’s path.

"Huh—just like that?" Leon frowned. The girl hadn’t resisted at all. *So obedient?* A hook shot from the shadows! Leon sidestepped, seized the chain, and yanked its wielder close—ending him with one clean sword stroke.

*Eleven left…*

"Attacking humans still feels strange," Leon muttered. "Though I suppose winged creatures like you don’t count as human anymore."

"Target the girl!" The Cherub’s command echoed. All eleven angels surged skyward on beating wings!

*Trouble.*

A wheel the size of a cart hurtled toward Naya—spewing fire as it rolled, crushing the bed of nails in its path!

"Watch out!" Leon shoved Naya aside, then parried three diving angels with his blade. The flaming wheel whistled between them.

Naya saw only shattered light. The Shield of Light lay in fragments. Three angels crumpled like bleeding pigeons, felled by a blur of steel.

*Eight left…*

Leon never strayed from Naya’s side. His hand shot up—catching an arrow aimed at her face. Blood gushed from his palm. Naya gasped. *He’s hurt—for me?* She snapped the arrowhead off, pulled the shaft free, and channeled healing light into his wound. "Hold still!"

She glanced back. They stood at the pit’s edge. Nowhere left to run.

"Leon…" Naya pressed close. "I’m giving you all my power. I know you’ll win."

"What are you—?"

Her palm touched his sword. Prayers to Aio ignited the Light Roar Sword, bathing it in radiance.

"Making lovey-dovey eyes at death’s door?" Two angels dove, gripping a two-meter saw blade between them. "We’ll carve you apart!"

"This," Leon said softly, "is my surprise for you."

The light didn’t just coat the blade—it exploded outward, swelling into a colossal sword taller than Leon himself. He swung. A *whoosh* split the air. The diving angels fell in halves, feathers raining down.

*Six left…*

The surviving angels froze.

"Fear not!" roared the Cherub. "They’ve merely flown ahead! They wait for Mercurial Deity to carry us all to HEAVEN!"

The hulking Ophanim charged, the flaming wheel grinding toward Leon—accelerating, unstoppable! Leon met it head-on with his giant light-sword. Blood and fire erupted as blade cleaved angel and wheel alike. *How many now?* Leon’s eyes locked onto the archer, the hook-wielder, the ones with fire staves and chains—*I’ll reach you even in the sky.*

His self-made technique erupted: **Fourfold Slash: Aurora**. Light carved arcs across the chamber. Angels burst like crimson flowers mid-flight. Stone walls sheared away.

Only the Cherub remained.

"Mercurial Deity grants me this trial at the final hour!" The Cherub dove, spiked iron collar outstretched—fastest of all foes yet. Leon twisted aside. A cut appeared below his ear. *Too close.*

"Leon! You’re hurt—"

"I’ll heal later." He tightened his grip on the giant sword.

The Cherub circled back. "I missed last time. Now—I take your head!" He lunged. Leon stood statue-still. *Waiting.* The instant the spiked collar neared his throat, his blade flashed—sending the Cherub crashing down.

The Twelve Royal Angels—annihilated.

Aboveground, the High Priest hurled Ruri before the crowd. "Behold!" he bellowed, arms wide. "The last Sorcerer! So long as one Sorcerer lives, Mercurial Deity cannot ascend! But now—*now* it ends! Raise the pyre! Burn her! Mercurial Deity will lead us to HEAVEN!"

Cheers, prayers, rotten fruit rained on Ruri. She endured in silence. As they tied her to the pyre, she murmured, "Gently, please. Or shall I do it myself?"

*Ready.*

The High Priest raised his torch. "May this holy flame—"

The door exploded inward. Leon crashed through, his giant light-sword slamming the High Priest into the rubble. Stone buried him. A wave of panic swept the crowd.

Leon leveled the glowing blade at a thousand Angelic Faith followers. "A god who demands an innocent girl’s sacrifice to reach heaven? *That* is no true god!"

To be continued.