As the first light touched the skies of Agatha, pushing the dark clouds away, birds began exiting their nests and leaping into the air, with harmonious cries filling the atmosphere.

Leaves bounced off the trees at the front of Bulwark Halls and began dancing in the air like unchained souls when birds leaped from the branches closer to the wall of room 616.

Leon stood in the room with closed eyes while the sun’s rays chased the darkness away.

’Dad, Mom, Lily, I’m going to make everyone proud,’ Leon said in his head as he slowly cracked his eyes open while the morning light crept across his body.

The walls in front of him glowed with the reflection of the silver-black war suit when Leon lifted his eyes to look at it.

"Hey," he said with a smile, brushing his fingers over the golden outline of the rose flower on the wrist plating. "It’s time to perform your actual duty."

The blue waves of Gia sprawled into light when the room’s system activated, the warm voice making the walls and ceiling vibrate. "Good morning, Leon."

"Good morning, Gia," Leon said as he turned to watch the blue wave pattern in the glass wall.

"I have intercepted a fragment of data from the Thule."

’Thule?’ Leon thought, his head snapping back in shock. ’How did that happen?’

"The Qing’s communication network is heavily encrypted, but I extracted data from Darian’s personal device that signals he is targeting your family."

Leon’s eyes widened when official documents with Darian’s signature began scrolling across the glass wall. "Gia, how did you do that?"

He paused when one document expanded on the screen.

Wipe out his entire family and make sure he doesn’t come back alive.

Lord Hayes

Cobalt Ward Sect

Seol-Mujin

The room went quiet as Leon’s mind filled with visions of the Storm Mansion being raided by Darian and Hayes.

"Are they already there?" he asked with a ragged voice, his focus wavering as his eyes darted quickly in their sockets. "Are they dead?"

"The system does not show any document confirming they have succeeded in wiping out your family. Therefore, I cannot confirm their status."

Leon’s knees buckled as he took two steps forward. "Gia, what about the Storm Mansion? Can you bypass the security and show me a live feed?"

"I can bypass the security, but the network layers are five times stronger than those of the Qing, so it will take a couple of days for me to hack into the Mansion’s system."

’Why now?’ Leon screamed in his head, his chest heaving as his heart began to pound. ’Why did they choose to strike when I am already set to enter Tartarus?’

He blinked at his palms twice, then walked back to his bed. ’If I leave, I am abandoning them to these monsters. If I stay, then there will be no chance of honoring the lives of Wu Ze, An Lang, and Liu Yan.’

He stared at the blue waves on the glass wall with wild eyes, a bone-crackling sound echoing around him as he clenched his fist. ’No matter what, I have to go back to Tartarus and make their deaths mean something!’

The door slid open with a hiss, followed by Hei Yung, who entered with an unreadable expression.

Leon’s eyes widened in confusion when Hei Yung walked to the side and crossed his arms behind his back, as if guarding the room for whoever might follow.

"Leon," Feng’s voice echoed as he stepped into the room with a warm smile. "I heard the rumors."

Without waiting for Feng to fully enter, Leon stood up and dashed forward with open arms.

Hei Yung’s expression softened as he watched Feng embrace Leon, remembering the only lady who used to be his own family.

"Are you really going to Tartarus?" Feng asked, pulling back slightly to look at Leon’s face.

Leon lowered his head for a moment, then looked up with burning eyes. "I’m going."

"If you are going back into that place," Feng said with a grin, "then you do not need to go empty-handed."

He breathed sharply and moved his right hand to the side. With a single flick of his fingers, two black katanas materialized, glowing with the same sparks as the war suit. "Take these."

"Is that Hi-no-Kami?" Hei Yung asked, his eyes widening at the swords. "The legendary blades forged from the heart of the first fire god?"

Feng shifted a smiling gaze toward Hei Yung and nodded once.

Leon lowered his head with tear-filled eyes as the swords were handed to him. "Thank you, Uncle Feng."

"I’m not the one to be thanked, Leon," Feng said, placing a heavy hand on Leon’s shoulder. "Thank your father for bringing you into this world."

The blade’s warmth seeped into Leon’s skin as he removed the sheath and brushed his fingers over the smooth surface. ’This looks nicer and sharper than any sword I have ever touched.’

Hei Yung stepped forward to stand beside Feng. "He is blessed to have this sword, Mr. Feng."

Feng shifted his gaze back to Hei Yung and smiled. "He is even more blessed to have someone like you."

The two laughed while Leon walked toward the war suit and began dressing for the journey ahead.

Leon opened the blade case one last time and smiled at his shattered reflection before securing the weapons to his back.

’There won’t be any mistakes this time,’ he thought, clenching his right arm into a fist.

Just as they stepped out of the Bulwark Hall, the edges of the folded kinetic-drift shield gleamed under the sunlight.

Soldiers began to stand and murmur when they saw Leon dressed in full armor.

"Is he really going back?"

"I thought he had changed his mind after the Death Pit fight against Tiger and Samir."

"This boy is going to waste his life if he enters that place a second time."

His Triarch stood tall in front of Hei Luo and Lu Wang, while leaves drifted across it as if bidding it a final goodbye.

Leon looked at Hei Luo and Lu Wang and bowed once with a smile, but they did not smile back.

Just as he moved toward the open ramp of the Triarch, a familiar beat lanced through his heart, forcing his legs to stop. ’Why do I feel like I have left something behind?’

"Leon, wait!" Zoe’s voice echoed like a bird’s final whistle, drawing everyone’s attention in seconds.