Fallen Apostle Volume Two Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Test (1)

Eve and Anabel felt that there was something about Leonidas' back that seemed just a bit straighter and something about his aura that seemed just a bit more refined and confident.

Internally, though, while this much was indeed true, Leonidas had taken note of his weakness.

His mind was weak.

It was easy to assume that his will was strong because he could endure pain, but in Leonidas' opinion, his mother was far stronger than he maybe would ever be.

He didn't have her patience. He didn't have her enduring temperament. The only reason he felt better was that the roadblock ahead had been shattered with Eve's help.

But what about the next time a roadblock appeared?

It had happened earlier as well. When Averit Rardin outplayed him in the Siris family home, he had almost lost himself to frustration again until he realized his mother's letter was written in code.

Leonidas knew his weakness. He had known of his weakness for a very long time.

As an almost overly analytical person, Leonidas was hyper-aware of everything around him, especially what was going on in his mind.

Unfortunately, being aware was one matter, changing it was a different matter.

Even back when Leonidas knew Gauteron was his last chance, he couldn't lay down his pride. As he became stronger, he found it even more difficult to control his innate disposition.

As a cripple, Leonidas would lash out with his words.

As an Apostle, he lashed out with his fists.

Leonidas' expression couldn't help but grow cold when he thought of Gauteron. He hadn't forgotten, he just hadn't had a chance yet.

That day when he would sever the heads of the Rardins was coming, and he would savor Gauteron's head the most.

…

The trio continued their rampage through the forest.

Greenwood Forest had much sparser conflict compared to the valley, something that was likely intentionally designed by Deacon Ezor. But, that only made things even better for Leonidas.

While the valley definitely had the greatest density of Blessing Units to benefit from, the Forest had its fair share as well. That said, this was only a small reason why Leonidas had chosen this location.

Knowing Deacon Ezor's intention, Leonidas also knew how to take advantage of it.

The Lower Ogre Deacon was hiding behind a facade of rage that made the Apostles of Violet Waters cautious.

Deep inside, the Apostles of Violet Waters knew that Swallowing Tusk was more powerful. In fact, even Deacon Bruthers had been careful not to step outside of their town, knowing that he was their most powerful force.

Wars between Sub-Shrines and even Main Shrines often ended in stalemates, and it was clear that this was what Violet Waters was pushing for.

Toward that end, they weren't initiating many battles and were waiting for Deacon Ezor to calm so that things could go back to the status quo.

Using that to his advantage, Deacon Ezor had concentrated his main forces in a single location, believing that even while being sparsely protected, the Apostles of Violet Waters wouldn't dare to be too brazen in their slaughter in the other two main regions.

It was unfortunate for him, though, that Leonidas didn't seem prepared to follow these hidden rules. In fact, he slaughtered every group of ogres he came across, collecting the heads of their Paladins one after another.

By the time a week had gone by, Leonidas had killed seven Paladins and over two dozen Knights.

Alongside him, Anabel and Eve had killed two Paladins and just shy of a dozen Knights themselves.

There was no way their spree had gone unnoticed and Leonidas was ready for the second stage.

***

'The lives of Knights are worthless outside of trading in their equipment for some coins, but nine Paladins is good. Six of them were Level 2, three of them Level 3…'

Leonidas used the portable Shrine function he gained with his status as a Fallen Disciple and checked their worth.

The final sum was 1098 Blessing Units.

Unlike with Apostles, when Paladins died, their Apostles were reimbursed.

90% of what was invested went back to the Apostles that had initially invested in them while only 10% remained as a lingering attachment.

The 1098 Blessing Units that remained from these nine kills was precisely this remaining 10%.

For a week of work, this was definitely an excellent harvest. But, it was just the beginning.

The ground trembled, but it was so slight that neither Anabel nor Eve sensed it.

Leonidas, however, narrowed his eyes.

This was what he was waiting for. He knew that Deacon Ezor would eventually send an Apostle here to deal with them.

And, if his deductions were correct, it wouldn't be a normal Apostle either.

Deacon Ezor would send someone with Leonidas in mind specifically. Someone powerful. Someone worthy of the tome that was likely in his hands right this moment.

Leonidas swept a gaze toward Anabel and Eve.

The two of them shared a stone, their pink lips covered with hints of grease as they chewed on the meat of a Blessed Beast.

Having had such meals every day for the past week, Leonidas noticed that Anabel was growing by leaps and bounds.

The meat of Blessed Beasts was quite nutritious, especially for Fighters and Paladins. As for Mages and Healers, only very specific beasts and beast parts could help their Mana and Spirit.

Unfortunately, those beast parts were a lot rarer.

Leonidas stood to his feet.

"You two stay here."

Anabel and Eve looked up, their brows furrowing.

The two women had grown a lot closer in recent days and the barrier of inferiority that had been up around Anabel was slowly being peeled back. This was to say that the both of them were quite in sync when it came to matters related to Leonidas.

"Yes, I am going to fight a battle. Yes, it will be hard. But no, I have no intention of dying."

Leonidas spoke these words casually before the two women could even open their mouths.

"During the true battle, I will need the help of both of you. But for this one, I will handle it myself."

Without another word, Leonidas turned and left, his steps steady and his back tall.

Anabel and Eve looked toward one another, their irises flickering with worry.

…

Leonidas' heart thrummed with a steady rhythm.

Ever since Eve healed his lingering injuries, the flow of his Mana had become smoother than he thought possible.

It shone a brighter blue, flowed faster than it ever had before, and truly felt like an integrated part of his body.

Rather than feeling like a new limb, it felt like a limb he had had since birth, no different from his fingers or his legs.

Leonidas reached to his back, unsheathing his twin black sabers, the cadence of his footsteps remaining silent and even.

His tail swished about in the air, rising higher and higher until it hung above his head like a King's crown.

Leonidas stepped through a clearing to find an ogre having come to a pause.

The ogre knelt on the ground by a slumbering beast, scratching its jaw with a hand as it grumbled in its sleep.

Leonidas could imagine the image of the ogre coming across this Blessed Beast, and yet somehow coaxing it to sleep. His pupils couldn't help but constrict.

There was something decidedly mysterious about the aura of this ogre. He didn't feel like a Lower Ogre at all. He felt like a towering mountain taking a nap as a frail scholar.

Eventually, the ogre rose to his feet, only now seemingly noticing Leonidas' presence.

"We shouldn't wake this little one, how about we move this somewhere else?"

The ogre didn't wait for Leonidas' response as he turned away, crossing the line of trees and heading into the distance.

Leonidas' heart couldn't help but skip a beat, his steady rhythm being disrupted.

On the back of the ogre, five rusted bronze axes lay, each one identical to the other and, more importantly, identical to the one that had almost taken his life.

Leonidas' jaw steeled, his steps heavier as he walked forward.

He wasn't nearly quiet enough, his steps shaking the Blessed Beast awake.

The beast's first instinct was to growl and pounce, but before it could do so, it froze.

Leonidas' gaze had turned toward it, a wild Berserk aura dancing around him.

The warning came through to the Blessed Beast more profoundly than almost anything it had ever felt before. By the time it stopped shivering, Leonidas had long since vanished as well.