"So it really is you."

Just as Leon hesitated for a moment... or maybe when he was overwhelmed by the stench from Hell surrounding the Sage's Cemetery, the perpetual mist of the cemetery was gently pierced by a colorful glow.

A familiar yet slightly unfamiliar young man, hands behind his back, strolled out and stood on the boundary line between Hell and the former Sage's Cemetery, then looked at Leon with a rather complex expression.

"Though I always thought this day might come, it's really disheartening to see the celebrated genius of the Zodiac Bureau opposing humanity."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Who are you?"

"?!!!"

Upon hearing Leon's bewildered inquiry, the hooded young man's mouth twitched involuntarily, then he reached up to remove his hood, pinching his skull through greasy, shiny hair.

Ah... it's you! The third generation! No wonder you seemed familiar.

Spotting the distinctive square skull, Leon's eyes flashed with understanding, and he skeptically scrutinized the handsome young man before asking:

"Wait, no. I've seen the memories shared by Taurus when I was learning the secret technique, and I remember seeing you in your youth. You were way uglier than this... Did you get some special cosmetic treatment while turning yourself into an anomaly?"

Damn it! Should've never left those memories from my secret technique studies!

Embarrassed by Leon's taunt, the younger version of the third generation couldn't contain his frustration and angrily retorted:

"What does my youthful appearance have to do with you, huh? What are you even doing here?"

Ugh... this old guy is still as annoying.

Rolling his eyes at the third generation's angry embarrassment, Leon, unsure of how much time he had left, decided not to argue about cosmetic procedures. He swiftly sealed his nose with the color of origin and proactively approached.

"Those messy things aren't important... Third Generation, I need your help!"

"Wait a minute! Stop right there! Stay there!"

The third-generation held up his hand in a "stop" gesture, then skeptically questioned:

"What do you mean by that?" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

What do I mean?

Leon frowned upon hearing this.

"Didn't I already say? I need your help."

"What help do you need from me?"

The third generation eyed Leon suspiciously, full of disbelief.

"You're not going to tell me that you're not in league with the mermaid who wiped out the Zodiac Bureau, that you're not part of that race that can inherently connect with the origin, and instead, you're on the side of humanity like us?"

"I'm definitely not in league with her..."

Finally understanding the old man's line of thought, recalling his cryptic statements after emerging from the cemetery, Leon responded speechlessly:

"Where are you going with this? If I were allied with that race connected to the origin, would the Zodiac Bureau be like this now?"

"What else?"

The third generation squinted and said:

"Though the Zodiac Bureau has been weakening, it was stable for thousands of years before you showed up. Still, circumstances maintained up until your arrival just over a year ago. The Watcher's Palace nearly collapsed, directors died or were wounded, and multiple bureau heads of Zodiac Bureau had issues.

Moreover, one of the Thirteen Kingdoms was completely obliterated, with the rest subdued under you, the Realm of the Dead follows your command, and the entire Zodiac Bureau is in your grasp. The current bureau chief can hardly speak more authoritatively than you upon returning.

The Zodiac Bureau is in ruins because of you, and now you're telling me it's all unrelated? You might as well say you're not from the origin race but stumbled into the realm of the origin like me, merely by chance obtained the power to summon the origin!"

"..."

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

You've said everything I needed to say; what else can I say?

Leon shook his head slightly, rather than trying to self-justify, directly inquired:

"Where's Taurus? Her soul came down too, right? If you won't help, then never mind. I can find her, she'll definitely believe me."

"You..."

Seeing Leon refusing to leave after being "exposed," insisting on meeting the Taurus director, the younger version of the third-generation pondered for a while and skeptically asked:

"What are you looking for her for?"

"To forge a unique artifact."

Realizing it's better to let the stubborn old man sort things out rather than exhaustively self-justify, Leon simply rubbed his cufflinks and took out scales and tailbones collected from the mermaid statue's 'home,' waving them remotely toward the third generation.

"Evangelin... the mermaid who mastered the origin, she's more powerful than me and better at summoning the origin. I'm not her match in a direct confrontation.

But I've scavenged quite a lot related to her from the Netherworld. If you or Taurus lend a hand, using these items can help forge an artifact targeting her, maybe equalizing our power gap."

"..."

"If you still don't believe me, I can let you inspect the materials first."

Taking out the base of the mermaid statue, which lay beneath a reef for ages, Leon sincerely spoke as he sent it toward the third generation:

"The remnant origin aura on this, you surely can identify, and since I'm presenting this item, I obviously intend to confront her... Even if you don't believe me, it can't be wrong to deal with the one who destroyed the Zodiac Bureau, right?"

"..."

"Third Generation!"

Just as the third-generation held the reef base, contemplating with a frown, a familiar voice to Leon came from within the cemetery.

The soul of Taurus, appearing translucent and frail, emerged from the cemetery and sincerely spoke:

"Don't test anymore, I've watched Leon progress every step to today, I trust him."

"..."

"Joan?!"

While the third bureau chief seemed on the verge of being convinced, a wrist-hand demon Leon held suddenly broke free, joyously exclaimed:

"You're alive? No wait... You haven't been fully dead?"

"Are you... Scorpio?"

After recognizing the soul of the wrist-hand demon, Taurus expressed immense surprise, then joyfully said:

"Didn't you disappear along with Cancer? How are you like this now?"

"Cancer sensed something wrong... couldn't escape... I knew I couldn't win, so I held back a piece... split some consciousness into its demon... Netherworld... and now here I am."

With Scorpio's words as evidence, the third-generation pondered a bit, then stepped back, indicating Leon could approach, and couldn't help but speak:

"That mermaid possesses the power of the origin. Even if you have materials of the same level, along with my forging skills, the artifact may not necessarily affect her."

"It will."

Leon shook his head with confidence and said:

"As long as you forge the item according to my requirements, it will definitely be effective against her."

"Why?"

"Because within those days I stayed in the Netherworld, alongside three other Sea Race members also exiled there, we unearthed every grave that could be dug and took away all her kin's remains."

Taking off his cufflinks and tossing them over, Leon calmly explained in the face of the third bureau chief's and Taurus director's extreme shock:

"Your forged artifact doesn't need to resist the origin, it only has to prevent her from attacking."