Both combatants had unleased thier last card.
The strangers aura expanded creating a dark void in space .
Leo shone like a lone star in the void.
Constilations surrounded him revolving like planets round a sun.
Leo felt it for the first time..
He was ..
Free.
The world accepted him.
He had done what few ever achieved.
A world awakening.
Yet in all that he felt it..
He was injured... badly
His bones were fractured.
Blood vessels burst.
Internal organs ruptured.
His energy drained.
Blood flowed from fresh wounds on his body.
Cuts lacerated his skin, some even exposing bone
Exhaustion weighed on him like a physical weight.
He knew he had to end this.
His opponent on the other hand was injured as well but not broken.
He was bursting with energy .
Worst of all leo didn't know the effect of his world domain.
This would be their last clash.
Leo moved.
The stars above shone brighter.
Space collapsed inward.
The stranger's disappeared reappearing infront of leo his sword descending.
Leo thrust his twin blades forward.
Purple flames spiraled.
Silver energy compressed.
Violet-blue energy exploded outwards.
Blades met.
Energy collided.
Sparks flew.
Techniques were exchanged.
In a matter of seconds they exchanged hundreds of blows.
BOOM.
BANG.
Each clash sent cracks in space and explosions of energy.
Around them was total destruction.
In place of the forest was a massive crater of destruction.
Sparce trees where all that hinted at the beautiful forest that once dominated the landscape.
Purple flames burned wildly, spatial storms covered the sky, darkness clung to the deep lacerations on the earth.
At the center a mass of darkness consumed Leo and the assassin as both fought with everything they had.
As far as technique went both were equals.
One could even say Leo had a slight edge.
After all he was the son of a sovereign and had been trained from birth.
But there wasn't just a gap between a world saint and king .
There was a chsam
A deep abyss skill alone could not cross.
Worse still leo could feel his body weakening with every exchange.
With no choice left he had to end things immediately.
After another intense clash leo retreated to the sky .
In this form he could fly freely though he was still a saint.
As he looked towards the assassin below his eyes became sharp .
His blades were sent into his spatial braclet and he took a punching stance.
Immediately the world energy reacted
Spatial storms, purple flames, silver starlight and constilations fused around his fist.
The assassin looked towards him with a smile.
He knew this was Leo's last ditch effort
All he had to do was endure and his mission would be completed.
Yet this wasn't an attack he could take lightly.
He could feel the power within that fist was that of a peak beginner world king.
Countless strategies crossed his mind but he abandoned them all ..
Except one.
He raised his blade and mirroring leo sent all his energy into his blade.
Though he had started this fight as an assassin it had long since gotten to the point of 2 cultivators fighting as equals.
He would not win this as an assassin but as a cultivator fighting another one on one.
Both smiled after realizing the others intent and poured more energy into their last attack .
As soon as both energies reached their peak both moved .
Leo divided dowards like a falling meteor .
Starlight illuminating his surroundings.
Space fracturing along his path.
The assassin was the opposite.
Darkness followed him as he shot upwards like a rocket.
The space around his blade darkened consumed by pure darkness.
As both entered striking rage they yelled out and released everything at once.
"FINAL BLADE OF THE ETERNAL NIGHT"
"GALAXY IMPACT!!!"
Silence spread for a second as they clashed
Then.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!..
The heavens shook.
Shockwaves of silver-violet destruction and deep darkness exploded from the center of the clash and pierced through the rest of the forest.
Trees vanished.
Mountains trembled.
The earth split apart.
Space fractured.
Both stayed equal for a moment then ..
The assassin was pushed back.
The assassin's eyes widened.
Then.
He smiled.
"...Excellent."
The attack consumed him.
Light engulfed everything.
Silence.
Leo collapsed from the sky like a broken doll a large cut spilled fresh blood from his right shoulder to his hip.
He landed with bang creating a large crater around him.
His World awakening flickered.
His body had reached its limit.
The stars overhead faded gradually.
The constellation markings disappeared.
The silver-violet energy dissipated.
Leo struggled to remain conscious.
"...Did I..."
A voice answered.
"...You won."
Leo looked up weakly.
The stranger lay several meters away.
Injured.
His black robes torn.
Blood stained one shoulder.
The other as well as half his torso was charred.
The blow was so bad bone could be seen .
Blood spilled freely from the wound and every orifice on his face.
Yet he stood.
His vitality as a world king was monstrous..
But still this was a killing blow if untreated.
"...Why...
You didn't do this for recognition...
Or for the money so..?"
Leo strained with each word.
His consciousness slipped with each second.
"...Why attack me?"
The assassin looked toward the sky.
"...Because the future requires monsters capable of protecting others."
His gaze shifted toward Leo.
"...And I needed to know whether you could become one."
Leo frowned.
"...You're insane."
The man laughed softly.
"...Perhaps."
Then
He turned away .
"...Remember this."
Leo struggled to listen.
"The enemies awaiting you..."
A pause.
"...are far stronger than I am."
Leo's eyes sharpened.
The assassin glanced back one final time.
"...Grow stronger, Leo."
Then.
He disappeared.
Vanishing in a ripple of shadows.
Leo remained motionless.
His body refused to respond.
The voice inside him had grown quiet again.
"I can't move"
Leo stared upward.
The stars had faded completely.
Only the morning sun remained.
"... World Awakening..."
His vision blurred.
"...What am I?"
No answer came.
The moonlit charm Evangeline had given him slipped from his pocket.
Leo caught it weakly.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"...I have to return.."
From his spatial braclet numerous healing treasures appeared sending refreshing vitality into his battered body.
"I beat a world king... I bet even Micheal couldn't have done this at my age."
A smile crossed his lips.
Then.
Darkness claimed him.
Far away.
Hidden within the shadows of the forest.
The assassin paused.
His expression remained unreadable.
"...The stars have begun moving."
Then quietly he murmured.
"...Master Ren."
He looked toward the distant horizon.
"...Your student survived."
A small smile appeared.
"...Good."
"So you were sent my my brother huh.."
Suddenly the space surrounding the assassin froze .
Danger assulted his senses.
Fear gripped his heart.
He knew what stood before him was a monster.
From the shadows a large man dressed in a black coat and a demon mask became visible, the number 2 written in blood on his back.
"Your coming with me" the man stretched out his arm to grab the assassin but at the same time a gray mantel rapped around him and he disappeared.
Then the mysterious man hissed and vanished completely.
*****************************
Warmth.
That was the first thing Leo noticed.
Not pain.
Not the lingering ache that had followed him through countless battles.
Warmth.
Soft.
Comforting.
Safe.
His eyelids felt impossibly heavy as consciousness slowly returned.
The scent of blooming silver lilies filled the air.
A gentle breeze brushed against his skin.
Strands of golden hair drifted across his face.
Then
"...Leo?"
A familiar voice.
It carried.
Relief.
Disbelief.
Fear.
All woven into a single word.
Leo forced his eyes open.
At first, his vision remained blurred.
Moonlight danced through elegant curtains.
Wooden walls surrounded him.
An unfamiliar room.
Yet strangely familiar.
"...Evangeline?" he murmured weakly.
For a second her face blurred with Sandra's making a smile appear on Leo's face.
The pair of golden eyes widened.
"You're awake."
Before Leo could process anything.
Pain erupted throughout his entire body.
"...Ow."
Evangeline folded her arms.
"...That is your first concern?"
Leo attempted to sit up.
Immediately regretted it.
"...Actually, everything hurts."
"...Good."
Leo blinked.
"...Good?"
"You almost died... The fact your in pain means your ok"
Silence.
The princess looked away.
Her composed expression cracked for the briefest moment.
"...Do you have any idea how frightened everyone was?
How worried I was?" the last words were quieter.
Leo opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
"...Sorry."
Evangeline exhaled slowly her composure returning.
"...You should be."
Memories returned gradually.
The journey home.
The mysterious assassin.
The battle.
The stars.
The awakening.
Leo's expression darkened.
"...The assassin."
Evangeline nodded.
"I found you unconscious near the eastern forest."
Her fingers tightened slightly around the blanket draped across her lap on which Leo slept.
"You were covered in injuries ."
A pause.
"...There were traces of spatial fractures surrounding the battlefield."
Leo looked down at his hands.
Normal.
No constellation markings.
No silver-violet glow.
"...It wasn't a dream."
"No."
Evangeline studied him carefully.
"...What happened?"
Leo hesitated.
Then quietly replied
"...I don't fully understand it myself."
Silence settled between them.
Outside the room, faint sounds of reconstruction echoed through the academy grounds.
Life continued.
Even after the chaos.
Eventually.
Evangeline spoke again.
"...You frightened me."
Leo looked up.
Genuine vulnerability lingered within her golden gaze.
"You were supposed to have already left."
"...I know."
"...Then I found you unconscious."
Her voice softened.
"...I thought I was too late."
Leo wasn't sure what to say.
So instead.
"...Thank you."
Evangeline blinked.
"For what?"
"For coming for me."
A faint blush touched her cheeks.
"...Of course ."
She looked away.
"...Someone has to make sure you survived your own recklessness."
Leo smiled weakly.
"...Right...."
Suddenly Evangeline looked at him a strange expression in her gaze that startled Leo.
She looked like him the way he looked at a piece of juicy meat.
"You know.. seeing you so vulnerable is giving me some ideas.." Evangeline licked her cherry lips and her face drew closer to Leo's.
"Wait.. Evangeline... What are you doing?"
Her small hand touched his lips .
"Suhhhh"
Her face drew so close leo could smell the sweet sent of lavender and see his reflection in her golden eyes.
As their faces were about to meet ...
The door suddenly opened and two people entered..