The forest had completely lost its calm.
The sky above seemed darker, even though it was still daytime. The air had grown heavy, almost suffocating, as if the world itself was struggling to breathe.
At the center of the shattered ground stood Leo.
In front of him… the ancient being.
The God Fragment.
Its massive body radiated golden light mixed with cracks of darkness. The energy surrounding it distorted the space slightly, making the air ripple like heat waves.
Kai was still on his knees.
"I… I can't move…"
Ryu tried to stand but failed.
"It's like… gravity increased…"
Milan was shaking.
"This isn't pressure… this is authority…"
Luna was the only one barely standing.
Her staff trembled slightly in her hand, but her eyes remained fixed on Leo.
Because Leo…
Was completely unaffected.
A faint golden glow surrounded him.
Not explosive.
Not overwhelming.
But pure.
Ancient.
The God Fragment lowered its head slightly.
Its glowing eyes focused only on Leo.
"You carry… forbidden blood."
Its voice echoed directly inside their minds.
Leo spoke calmly.
"You shouldn't exist here."
The creature responded immediately.
"Neither should you."
The ground cracked beneath them.
Energy began rising rapidly.
The forest started breaking apart under the pressure.
Kai screamed.
"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING ON OUR FIRST MISSION?!"
No one answered.
Because the battle had already begun.
---
The God Fragment moved first.
It didn't charge like a monster.
It simply raised its hand.
And the space around Leo twisted.
BOOM.
An invisible force crushed the ground around him.
Trees bent.
The earth shattered.
But Leo stepped forward calmly.
The pressure vanished around him.
Like it had never existed.
Luna's eyes widened.
"He… canceled it?"
The fragment paused.
Then it spoke again.
"You resist divine authority."
Leo raised his sword slowly.
"I've faced worse."
The fragment suddenly disappeared.
And appeared behind Leo.
Its massive arm swung downward.
Leo turned instantly.
CLANG.
His sword blocked the strike.
The impact created a shockwave that pushed everyone back.
Kai rolled across the ground.
Ryu slammed into a tree.
Milan barely held onto a rock.
Luna planted her staff into the ground to stay stable.
The ground beneath Leo cracked.
But he didn't move.
Not even an inch.
The fragment increased its force.
Golden energy surged from its body.
Leo's sword trembled slightly.
Inside him, the divine blood reacted.
The ancient voice spoke again.
"This is not a complete being."
Leo replied silently.
"I know."
He pushed forward.
The fragment's arm was forced back.
For the first time…
The ancient being stepped backward.
The forest fell silent for a second.
The fragment looked at Leo with deeper interest.
"Your existence… is irregular."
Leo stepped forward.
"So is yours."
He vanished.
And reappeared in front of the fragment.
His sword moved.
A precise strike.
The blade hit the fragment's chest.
CRACK.
A large crack spread across its body.
Golden light burst out.
The fragment staggered slightly.
Luna whispered.
"He's… overpowering it…"
The fragment raised both arms.
The sky darkened instantly.
Multiple golden energy spears formed in the air.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
All aimed at Leo.
Kai screamed.
"RUN!!"
The spears shot down.
Like rain.
Destroying everything in their path.
Leo looked up.
For a moment…
Time felt slow.
The spears moved like falling stars.
The world became quiet.
Inside his mind…
The divine blood glowed brighter.
A memory flashed.
A battlefield from his past life.
Thousands of enemies.
God-level beings.
War without end.
Leo closed his eyes.
Then opened them again.
A stronger golden aura burst around him.
Not fully unleashed.
But no longer hidden.
He raised his hand.
The falling spears stopped.
Mid-air.
Frozen.
Kai's eyes almost popped out.
"…WHAT?!"
Ryu whispered.
"He stopped them…"
Milan's voice trembled.
"That's… control over space…"
Luna stared silently.
Her heart was beating faster.
Because now she was sure.
Leo was not human.
Leo clenched his hand slightly.
All the spears shattered.
Like glass.
The fragments disappeared into light.
The God Fragment stared at him.
Then…
It smiled.
For the first time.
"A worthy existence."
Its body began glowing brighter.
The cracks started closing.
Its form stabilized further.
Its power increased.
The ground began collapsing again.
The fragment raised its hand.
"This world cannot contain us."
A massive sphere of energy formed above it.
Dense.
Unstable.
If released…
It would destroy everything in the area.
Kai shouted in panic.
"WE'RE DEAD!"
Luna gripped her staff tightly.
"…No."
She looked at Leo.
He was standing calmly.
Watching the growing energy sphere.
The ancient voice inside him spoke.
"End it."
Leo took a step forward.
The ground beneath him stabilized.
The chaotic energy around him began calming.
As if the world itself was obeying him.
He raised his sword.
A faint golden light gathered around the blade.
The fragment launched the energy sphere.
It descended like a falling sun.
Everything in its path was erased.
Leo moved.
One step.
Then another.
Walking directly toward the attack.
Kai screamed.
"HE'S WALKING INTO IT!!"
Leo raised his sword.
And swung.
A single strike.
No explosion.
No loud sound.
Just silence.
The energy sphere split in half.
Cleanly.
Like it had been cut by reality itself.
The two halves passed beside Leo.
And vanished into nothing.
The forest fell silent.
The God Fragment froze.
For the first time…
Its expression changed.
Not curiosity.
Not interest.
But realization.
"You are not… a successor…"
Leo lowered his sword slowly.
The golden light in his eyes grew slightly brighter.
"I'm something worse."
The fragment's body began cracking again.
This time violently.
It looked at Leo one last time.
Then spoke:
"The sealed god… will awaken…"
Its body shattered into countless pieces of light.
And disappeared.
Silence returned to the forest.
The pressure vanished.
The sky slowly returned to normal.
Kai collapsed flat on the ground.
"I'm… alive…"
Ryu laughed weakly.
"That was insane…"
Milan sat down, completely exhausted.
Luna remained standing.
Her eyes were fixed on Leo.
He stood quietly.
The golden aura had already disappeared.
He looked normal again.
But now…
There was no doubt.
Luna walked slowly toward him.
She stopped just a few steps away.
And asked quietly:
"Who… are you?"
Leo looked at her.
For a moment…
He said nothing.
Because even he…
Didn't fully know the answer anymore.