Chapter 128

From the next day onward, Leonard became very active, almost as if to make up for his three-month seclusion.

He first made an appearance in Bermuda, then toured the still unstable areas to eradicate the remaining threats. Leonard’s presence had been almost transcendent even before reaching the Transcendence Tier, but after breaking through to that major tier, he was a different person entirely.

With his Dragon Eyes, he could easily locate those hiding deep within the slums, and his combat prowess was unparalleled. He didn’t even need to use his ultimate techniques; a single strike from his sword was enough to finish anything.

“They say he cuts down hundreds, no, thousands in a day. That’s why the outer areas became safe in just a few days.”

“Isn’t he the one who took Pablo's head?! For someone in the Transcendence Tier, it’s not that difficult.”

“A Swordmaster at sixteen... The Demigod Tier that they say exists in the Cardenas family doesn’t sound so far-fetched anymore. Aquamarine can probably overtake Wild Hunt and Zaratan now.”

“And he’s close with the new Towermaster. His political standing is incredible. He might soon enter the Council of Atlantis.”

During this time, those who doubted Leonard became silent, and more people were speculating about his future actions. Having defeated Pablo, one of the strongest Transcendence Tier experts out there, at the age of just sixteen, Leonard’s potential was regarded highly.

If Leonard were to reach the Demigod Tier in a few decades, he would hold power equivalent to the king of these seas.

“I’ve coordinated with the Magic Towers in the southern and central continents to schedule a spatial portal. You can reach the borders of the Arcadian Empire in less than a day.”

“Thank you for your assistance, Councilman Gordon.”

However, in a place unknown to those gossipers, Leonard was finishing up his preparations to leave Atlantis. His endeavors over the past few weeks had been to ensure his presence was felt even after he left Aquamarine and to test his physical condition following the seclusion training.

Unwittingly, he had also pressured Gordon in the process.

“To have won over the people’s hearts in less than a month... I’m honestly glad we didn’t meet as adversaries.”

Confirming Leonard’s intention to leave, Gordon heaved a sigh, betraying his relief. Despite being a Class 8 Archmage and gaining newfound support from the masses after the recent events, he couldn’t surpass Leonard, who had led Aquamarine’s revival and slain Pablo.

Understanding Gordon’s concerns, Leonard stepped back.

“Reputation is only temporary, and I don’t think rulers should be too concerned with it. Besides, I heard you found out about my family origins.”

“Hmm.” With a low grunt, Gordon responded, “Don't be too upset. I didn’t expect the information to come out just from a quick investigation at the mainland.”

“It’s fine. It’s not like my situation was leaked,” Leonard replied calmly, but Gordon, who knew his true identity, couldn’t help being nervous.

House of Cardenas—the strongest Family of Swords among the Three Noble Houses of the Arcadian Empire. Not even a Class 8 Archmage would dare boast in front of a family with several experts in the Demigod Tier. The news that had made Gordon realize Leonard’s significance was daunting indeed.

They say he razed the Kurdish Kingdom to the ground and scoured the central continent to find a missing blood relative. Who would’ve thought this Transcendence Tier boy was the one from the rumors?

As if sensing his unease, Leonard smiled faintly and said, “When I return home, I will report on your assistance in detail, Councilman Gordon. Not only did you get me permission to use the spatial portal in the Magic Tower on the mainland, but you also coordinated the schedule. The Cardenas family will remember it.”

“Ahem! I didn’t do all that expecting something in return, but if you insist on informing the Cardenas family about it, I wouldn’t mind. I hope we can maintain a good relationship from now on.”

They shook hands, exchanged some more words, and parted ways. That was Leonard’s final meeting with Gordon.

Even after that, Leonard kept himself busy until the day he was set to leave Atlantis. And when the day finally came, he entered the secret area of the Magic Tower, where the long-distance spatial portal was located.

It looked completely different from what he had seen in the Cardenas family, but the complexity of the magic formula inscribed in it and the amount of mana it contained were indeed impressive.

Russell, frowning as he adjusted the unfamiliar spatial portal, murmured, “It's been almost a year since we last used this. Except for when the previous Towermaster traveled to the mainland, there was hardly any need for it.”

The spatial portal consumed an enormous amount of mana, and with each activation, its durability decreased significantly. Thus, using the portal was costly even for the wealthy, and being one of the top-secret facilities of the Magic Tower, only those whose identities were verified could access it. Without Gordon and Russell, Leonard would have had to travel to the mainland by ship.

“Did your conversation with Gordon go well? Well, knowing about the Cardenas family probably didn’t give him much leverage.”

“It went smoothly. He’s an ambitious man, but he wouldn’t act maliciously. He’s not a bad choice for a collaborator.”

Leonard had encountered a few people like that even in the Central Plains. They desired leadership but were content with honor and authority rather than personal gain. Of course, whether they were selfish or not didn’t matter if they were incompetent, but Gordon Haywood was a competent politician.

Understanding human greed and malice, Leonard was more adaptable compared to entirely righteous individuals.

“Is that so? Well, he’s more of a natural-born opportunist than a villain.”

Russell, finishing the portal’s adjustments while bashing Gordon, turned to Leonard.

“You didn’t forget anything, right? What about the item I gave you?”

Instead of uttering an answer, Leonard merely took out the token from his pocket and waved it. Perhaps feeling competitive toward Gordon, Russell had given him a badge bearing the Towermaster’s seal.

Even in Atlantis, where status mattered less than on the mainland, a mage qualified to be Towermaster was rare. Russell, soon to be a Class 8 Archmage, could easily become a Towermaster on the mainland; Leonard had seen it with his Dragon Eyes.

“Stay safe until we meet again, Russell.”

“You take care too. With all the chaos you’ve stirred up along with Aquamarine, I doubt you’ll live a quiet life.”

“If I desired peace, I wouldn't have taken up the sword.”

For those aiming for the pinnacle of martial arts, peace was only granted after death. Even Leonard, who had stepped away from his battle-crazed ways, couldn’t deny that. Self-defense and eliminating enemies were ultimately part of the struggle. For a martial artist, it was a cycle they couldn’t escape until they either died or forsook martial arts altogether.

Jack Russell raised his hand with a knowing expression. “Then, instead of peace, I wish you good fortune in battle. Farewell!”

As his magic flowed, the dormant spatial portal in the depths of the Magic Tower unleashed its residual magic. The noise and vibrations were no different from those of the spatial portal of the Cardenas family.

A rainbow-hued light emanated from within the void of the rectangular portal, distorting reality in ways that the three-dimensional perceptions of humans couldn’t possibly grasp. It was similar to what Leonard had experienced when traveling from the Cardenas family to the Galapagos Island.

However, Leonard was no longer the same person from back then.

I can see it.

There was no magic formula that could hide things from the insight of a dragon, a guardian of world order. Although he couldn’t replicate a formula just from seeing it once, he could grasp the principle behind it. Now, if he wished, he could neutralize the connection point that temporarily merged spatial coordinates.

I may not be able to cut through the congestion effect of Mass Teleport, but being able to counter high-rank space magic is an advantage.

With that thought, Leonard stepped into the spatial portal. As he felt the overwhelming flow of spatial distortions pass by him, he suddenly remembered something he had forgotten back in Atlantis.

...Oh no, the duel with Herman.

Realizing he had stood Herman up, Leonard glanced back with a bitter expression, but Atlantis was already out of sight, his journey there having come to an end.

* * *

“I’ve heard about your situation. I’ll open the spatial portal to the next region immediately. Please proceed.”

“Understood.”

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Leonard leaped into the spatial portal for what felt like the umpteenth time. Whether it was from reaching the Transcendence Tier or thanks to his Dragon Eyes, there was no nausea, which was a relief.

The distance from the Atlantis Maritime Alliance to the Arcadian Empire was literally enormous, and the travel distance for each spatial portal was limited, requiring Leonard to use it dozens of times. If Gordon hadn’t established a schedule in advance, the whole journey could have taken over a year, with Leonard having to wait days or even weeks between each teleportation.

Now that I’ve crossed into the central continent, I should arrive soon. I can enter the Empire’s territory from the next Magic Tower onward, so another two or three teleportations should be enough.

Observing the now tedious flow of space, Leonard finally reached the endpoint of the distortion and stepped out. The mage managing the spatial portal looked at him with a baffled expression—a natural reaction, as one would normally be very disoriented after using a spatial portal so many times consecutively.

“Excuse me. I heard that from here, I can travel into the Arcadian Empire. Is that correct?”

The mage gathered his wits and replied, “Y-Yes, that’s correct. However, within the Empire’s territory, the Wickeline family manages the spatial portal, so you will need to obtain permission first.”

“And how can I do that?”

“Well... You need to state your purpose and identity yourself through a communication crystal. If you’re a foreigner, you will need to meet with an imperial officer right after the transfer. May I inquire about your nationality?”

“I'm an Arcadian. Can I verify my identity myself?”

The mage nodded as it was up to the traveler to handle, and after fiddling with it a few times, the murky crystal lit up, displaying a person on the other side—a middle-aged man in a robe, from the Arcane Society, an organization established by the Wickeline family.

—What is the matter?

The mage answered cautiously, “We need permission to use the spatial portal.”

—State the traveler’s purpose and identity.

Stepping aside, the mage allowed Leonard to approach the crystal and make eye contact with the person on the other side.

“I’m going back to my family. I’m Leonard of the Cardenas family.”

—All right, the Cardenas fami... What? Could you repeat that?

“Leonard of the Cardenas family.”

The middle-aged man and the mage both looked thunderstruck. Using a spatial portal within the Empire was relatively easy but not entirely accessible. If someone from the Cardenas family was using the spatial portal, their status would be considerable.

It was only natural for the middle-aged man to be shocked, given how unlikely it was to encounter such an important figure out of the blue.

—Do you have a specific rank or title? Identity verification requires these details...

Leonard, who had disappeared before he could even become a squire, had no title. To avoid complications, he explained, “Could you contact my family briefly? Tell them that Leonard, who vanished from the Galapagos Island, has returned. You’ll get a response soon.”

—Understood. I will follow your request. Please wait a moment.

Shortly after the now more respectful Arcane Society mage left, the spatial portal that Leonard had just exited suddenly activated. The mage in charge failed to react in time to prevent the spatial distortions and the ensuing noise and vibrations.

Hummmmmm...!

The panicked mage fiddled with various controls, but the already active spatial portal couldn’t be stopped. Leonard, watching the distorted space, instinctively grasped the hilt of his sword, soon realizing why.

...Someone is coming, someone who could be a threat to me even at this level.

As if to confirm his suspicion, two figures emerged like lightning from the distorted space. Leonard recognized one of them.

Commander Fabian of the Order of the Fledgling Dragon—he had recognized Leonard’s talent and increased his training resources. He was also the one who had easily subdued the Fifth Shadow, a Transcendence Tier knight of the Kurdish Kingdom, who had nearly killed Leonard.

But...

No way...

Leonard’s eyes were fixed not on Fabian but on the monstrous presence beside him, which not even his Dragon Eyes could fully grasp. The other individual seemed to notice this and brought his hand to his sword, eyeing Leonard sharply.

Leonard’s chances of victory were less than twenty percent; his instincts screamed for a preemptive strike.

“Fabian, it seems you were wrong. He’s not just a genius. He’s a monster.”

The white-haired monster, appearing no older than thirty, smiled with a hint of amusement.

Leonard only managed to suppress his explosive killing intent after the man removed his hand from his sword hilt. If he had drawn his sword, it would likely have come to a fight to the death.

The person was on par with—or perhaps even surpassed—Heavenly Demon Dan Mok-Jin, the world's greatest martial artist from Leonard’s previous life.

A Demigod Tier warrior...

Only seven such beings were known to exist within the Cardenas family, and now one of them stood before him. Not taking his eyes off Leonard, the white-haired man finally spoke up, his aura overwhelming and his eyes playful.

“You can guess who I am, right?”

“...Yes.”

“Since asking you to pick one of the seven is too much, let me introduce myself. I am Demian, the commander of the Order of the White Dragon.”

This marked Leonard’s first encounter with Demian, the First Sword of the Order of the White Dragon, an enigma even among the Seven Great Orders.