Prime Originator

Looking at the scene of two flocks of Three-Legged Golden Crows and Blue Luans trying to devour their own their fallen Paragons, Duna was astonished.

"Why are they eating their own kind? I can understand if it's just the berserk Three-Legged Golden Crows, but why are the Blue Luans committing cannibalism as well?" Duna asked with surprise.

"It's because they want to absorb the Paragon's awakened bloodline and enrich their own bloodline!" Leon explained without shifting his gaze away from the scene.

Shortly after, Duna glanced back with interest, "So for a chance to become stronger, they would not hesitate to eat their own kind. How primitive."

"This is just how the world works according to the laws of the jungle; survival of the fittest." Leon shook his head and spoke, "Absorbing their Paragon's bloodline won't just give them a chance to become stronger—but also become the new Alpha of the pack."

"Hmm, I see…" Duna hummed before she noticed Leon's summoned spear, "What are you doing?"

"Me? I'm going to join the fray," Leon stated with a decisive glint.

Duna immediately furrowed her brows and said, "You might have grown stronger, but your strength is only comparable to the middle-stages of Rank 1 Transcendents. You're going to get yourself killed!"

"If I die, then I'll become a ghost like you and keep you company," Leon flirted with a soft chuckle, catching Duna unprepared as she was stunned.

However, Duna quickly recovered after a brief moment before she coldly said, "This is not the time for jokes!"

"Are you that worried about me?" Leon asked.

"I-Idiot, where did you go and get that idea from? It's not you that I'm worried about! I'm just worried about losing my only energy supplier!"

"Don't worry. Even if I die, I'll make sure to supply you with plenty of 'energy' before that happens," Leon chuckled.

Duna's expression immediately turned frosty before she coldly spat, "Do you want to die?!"

"It's a joke… hahaha…" Leon's laugh became more forced under her surging malevolent aura. It seemed that she understood the hidden insinuation in his words.

Shortly after Leon stopped teasing Duna, his expression turned serious.

"The berserk Three-Legged Golden Crow's numbers need to be reduced. If the Blue Luan's side loses the battle, the berserk Three-Legged Golden Crows will eventually turn their attention on the people behind me." He explained.

Duna immediately wrinkled her expression.

However, before Duna could say anything, Leon shook his head and quickly added, "You seem to be looking down on me. My strength has indeed grown by leaps and bounds, but I am not overestimating myself here."

"If we were still deep inside the sky suppression zone, I would not have dared to join the fight at all. But since we are on the ground, I am at least confident in keeping my life. Besides, this is a chance to befriend the Blue Luan tribe." Leon explained.

After listening, Duna silently nodded and gave up persuading Leon otherwise. She understood his reasons and knew that it was no use.

"Oh? Are you joining me?" Leon asked after seeing Duna standing up from her seated position.

"Hmph, you're still weak! If I don't tag along, who knows if you will really lose your life or not?!" Duna said snappishly.

The corners of Leon's lips quickly rose before he said with a smile, "So you are concerned about me after all."

"I—" Duna froze for a moment before she coldly spat, "Nonsense! I am just bored and wanted to exercise my corporeal body a little! Hmph, even if you are not going, I will still go without you!"

"Hmm… Is that so?" Leon's smile grew bigger, turning into a grin as he watched Duna changed her reason for tagging along while averting her eyes.

Duna snuck a few glances back at Leon, but she was suddenly caught as their eyes met, causing her to feel deeply embarrassed inside.

However, his cheeky grin quickly pissed her off.

"What are you looking at?! Hurry up and f*ck off already! Go kill some birds or something before I kill you myself!" Duna coldly snapped.

Leon immediately burst into laughter before shooting off.

He did not take her threats seriously and even wanted to add something. But he was afraid that if he said it, she might really attack him.

"Hmph!" Duna snorted after Leon left.

After a short moment, she also took flight from the Great Wall and followed behind, heading straight towards the Three-Legged Golden Crow and Blue Luan's enormous battlefield on the other end of the vast rift.

…

On the eastern side of the Elder Tree, Duke Ignis saw the gathering of humans and elves preparing to depart from the region.

After spotting Queen Elizabeth directing people at the helm of the crowd, he descended towards her location before quickly asking, "Your Majesty, I heard you were looking for me?"

"Ignis? You're alive! That's great!" Elizabeth exclaimed with joy. She could not imagine how devastated Amelia will be if she learned of his death.

Shortly after, Elizabeth quickly added, "I had some vague hopes when I saw the elven warriors carried back a few blacksmiths. Still, no one could even get close when the Paragons were still fighting down there. How on earth did you even survive?"

"Hm?" Duke Ignis frowned after noticing some discrepancy in his information.

How could Elizabeth be looking for him if she did not even know he was alive? Would she be looking for his corpse instead?

Duke Ignis quickly realized that he had been fooled into leaving by Leon before he silently cussed, 'That brat! This isn't over! Hmph!'

Shortly after, Duke Ignis began to recount his vague memories to Elizabeth.

Meanwhile, on the southern side of the Elder Tree, a new thundercloud could be seen rapidly growing in the sky.

However, no one was alarmed by its appearance. Everyone saw when it first expanded from within Aria's body.

After it fully formed in the sky, the weather quickly dropped before hail descended for only a short period as humans and elves began collecting the ice blocks, stocking up on their water supply for the long trip.