The smoke covered the area, slowly dissipating to reveal the destruction. Felix still stood protectively in front of Leon.
Behind him, the Katana castle lay in ruins, its walls shattered and towers reduced to rubble.
The silence was oppressive, punctuated only by the sound of crumbling stone and the distant hum of magic residue.
Leon's eyes widened in horror as he took in the destruction, his mind struggling to process the scale of the devastation.
"My Castle!....," Leon stammered, his voice trembling with rage and fear. He felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead as he stared at the ruins of the Katana castle.
Felix slowly turned to face him, his expression grim. "Are you alright,Master Leon?" he asked, his voice low and concerned.
Leon shook his head, his eyes fixed on the rubble. "How could this happen?...The Katana castle... The last thing that my father owned....."
He felt a wave of terror wash over him as he realized the extent of the destruction.
Leon's anger and fear gave way to a sense of determination. He would find out who was responsible for this destruction, and he would make them pay for it.
Leon stood there seeing the ruins, his eyes filled with anger as he gazed upon the ruins of his Castle again and again.
The once-Standing structure now lay shattered, its fragments scattered across the ground like the remnants of a forgotten dream.
The burning spell that had descended from the sky had left nothing but devastation in its wake.
Leon's voice was a furious roar as he demanded, "Felix,did you see Who shot this spell?!" His eyes blazed with anger, his face twisted in a fierce scowl.
But Felix was still thinking,deep in thoughts.
Nox's voice broke the silence, his words tinged with a mixture of fascination and reverence. "This spell... it is a 6th circle spell, Scorching Missile," he murmured, his gaze still fixed on the ruins.
"But it doesn't come like a meteor from the sky... and this spell was in the shape of an arrow."
The word "arrow" sparked a sudden realization within Leon. His eyes snapped into focus, and he exclaimed, "That's a Magic Arrow!"
Nox's head turned towards Leon, his expression inquisitive. "A magic arrow?" he repeated, his tone laced with curiosity.
Leon nodded, his enthusiasm evident. "The magic arrow is an arrow shot by injecting magic into it," he explained. "It's a uniqueness of archers."
He continued "Like magicians using spells, swordsmen slashing everything, and alchemists making potions, Magic Arrows are what set archers apart."
Nox's eyes widened in surprise, his gaze filled with newfound understanding. "Oh, is that so? I thought human archers only shot arrows made of wood or steel, but they can use mana arrows too?"
Leon's interest was piqued by the mention of "mana arrows." He turned to Nox, his voice filled with curiosity. "Mana arrow?"
Nox's smile was tinged with a hint of mischief. "The archers in the demonic army used this, and they called it a Mana Arrow and-"
As Nox continued to speak, another voice suddenly chimed in.
"Your alive!?,Weren't you supposed to die in that magic arrow!?.."
Leon, Felix, and Nox looked up to see two people perched atop a nearby tree.
One was a slim man with brown hair,an archer,With arrows at his back,with a Wooden bow in his hands,and the other was a muscular man with six-pack abs,A scar on his face,a balf head, wearing gauntlets. They both jumped down.
The slim man's eyes gleamed with malevolent intent as he declared, "Now... our target is here..."
Leon, unfazed by their tone, replied with a calm, grinned face, "Who are you?"
The muscular man snorted in derision. "Hmph... impudent brat! An illegitimate child like you asks our identities?" His voice dripped with arrogance.
The slim man's evil smile twisted his features. "We don't know how you dodged that arrow...But we will do what that magic arrow was not able to do..."
He pointed his bow towards Leon."
He said "We won't simply kill you," he sneered. "We'll torture you until you beg for mercy, until you scream 'Please kill me!' And then... we'll grant your wish. Hahahaha!"
Felix instinctively stepped forward, positioning himself between Leon and the two men, ready to defend his master. The slim man's gaze flicked to Felix, and his expression changed to one of interest.
"Ah, you're the new Swordmaster who made a name for himself in that arena incident?" The slim man's voice was laced with curiosity. "After killing that illegitimate child, our employer has instructed us to bring you to him..."
The muscular man chimed in, his voice filled with anticipation. "Yes, he'll shower you with wealth, and you'll work for him... on one condition: bring Leon's head as a gift to our employer."
Leon's response was immediate and decisive. "Felix, get them on their knees." Felix nodded, his eyes locked on the two men. "Yes, master." With a swift motion, he unsheathed his sword and began to walk towards the pair.
The two men exchanged fearful glances, their arrogance melting away. "H-hey... w-wait!" they stammered in unison, their voices trembling with anxiety.
The slim man's voice dripped with temptation as he spoke, "Our employer is crazy rich! He can shower you with every resource you need to breakthrough to the next level of swordsmanship!" The muscular man chimed in, his tone laced with disdain, "Y-yes! What will you achieve by protecting a filthy brat like him?"
Felix's face darkened with fury as he took a step forward, his eyes blazing with anger. "You dare insult my master?" he growled, his voice low and menacing.
Leon intervened, his voice calm and collected. "Felix, just beat them and tie them up. Don't kill them."
Felix's expression twisted in a mixture of anger and determination. "Okay, master," he said, before charging towards the two men.
Two minutes later, the scene had changed dramatically. The two men lay on the ground, beaten and battered, their hands and legs bound by ropes. Leon and Felix stood over them, their breathing steady and calm.
"Who are you and who sent you?" Leon asked, his voice firm but controlled.
The slim man glared up at them, a hint of defiance in his eyes. "Why should we say it?" he spat.
Felix's expression turned cold, and he reached for his sword. The slim man's eyes widened in fear as Felix unsheathed it, the blade glinting in the light.
"W-we will say it!" the slim man stammered, his voice trembling with fear.
Leon's gaze never wavered. "Tell me,who are you?" he asked, his voice steady and commanding.
The slim man's voice trembled as he revealed, "We are the GreenHorn mercenaries!" Leon's eyes narrowed, intrigued by the revelation. "Mercenaries?" he repeated, his tone laced with curiosity.
The muscular man nodded fervently. "Yes! We're mercenaries who take on any job for money!" Leon's gaze intensified, his mind racing with possibilities. "So, who was the one who sent you?" he pressed on.
The slim man's eyes darted nervously before responding, "For the person who sent us, we ourselves don't know! Just a few hours ago, a strange man came and gave us a hefty sum of money. He told us to kill the illegitimate child who defeated Young Master Ruan at the duel..."
Leon's expression turned thoughtful, his eyes flicking to Nox. "Ruan?" he murmured, and Nox seized the opportunity to interject, "Hey, I think it must be Krone, that Ruan bastard's exclusive knight!"
Leon's eyes locked onto the two mercenaries once more. "Hey, did you see anything odd in him?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
One of the men hesitated before responding, "Odd?... That man was wearing a mask... And... Huh! And a black serpent tattoo was on his right hand!"
Nox's eyes lit up with recognition. "I remember it! Krone had that tattoo on his hands."
Leon's face set in determination. "So, it is indeed Krone," he declared, his voice firm and resolute.
Leon's eyes narrowed as he asked, "By the way, where is the other man?" The two mercenaries exchanged nervous glances, their faces pale. "Wha... What?! What are you saying?!" they stammered in unison.
Leon's gaze intensified. "The arrow that destroyed my castle... It was powerful, and only a strong magic archer can do that." He paused, his eyes scrutinizing the two men. "You do not seem that strong."
The slim man's voice trembled. "Wh... What are you trying to say?!" Leon's expression remained firm. "You were not the one who fired the arrow. Tell me who shot it. Tell me!"
Just as the slim man was about to speak, two arrows flew swiftly through the air, striking the two men with deadly precision. Both the men's head was pierced by the arrow.
Leon's eyes widened in shock.
"Where did that arrow come from?!" he exclaimed.
Felix's gaze followed the trajectory of the arrows. "Master... That arrow came from that mountain peak."
Leon's eyes turned towards the distant mountain, a towering giant that seemed to touch the sky. "I knew it," he muttered. "That bastard who fired that dangerous arrow... He's at the top of the mountain!"
Felix's voice was laced with concern. "Master, what should we do?" Leon's expression turned cautious. "Judging from the powerful magic arrow, he's surely a strong magic archer. We need to be cautious..."
As they spoke, a figure emerged at the top of the mountain, far in the distance. A tall, mysterious man with pointed ears stood tall, a bow in his hand.
The mysterious man said "Tch..These two idiots were not even able to kill an brat...they deserve to die."
And then smiled.
Then From the top of the mountain he Pointed his bow and arrow towards Leon down and far away.
"But no worries...I would destroy him,just like how i destroyed his castle..."