Abandoned

Leonel placed Zilar down on a bed within his Dream Abode. 

His gaze flashed with a cold light. If it hadn't been for Syl's elder brother, he probably would have had to find his way out of that encirclement. 

If it was because of his own words, Leonel wouldn't mind. Plus, since he dared to step out of this Abode, he also had adequate preparations at the ready. However, Leonel knew that it wasn't so simple. 

All along the way, the sister Moon sibling was steering the crowd with her words. She was quite a dangerous woman indeed. 

In the end, it was due to the commotion at the Northern Gate and Leonel's own sharpness that Reynred and the twins could only leave without accomplishing much of anything. It seemed that the start of the third phase was unlike the first two. 

Whoever it was who opened the Northern Gates was definitely a future calamity they needed to prepare for. As difficult as it was to become an Emperor during the first phase, it was tens of times more difficult to do so during the second phase. 

In addition, this person was a true Fourth Dimensional entity unlike Leonel who had only broken through in one aspect. So, compared to the danger Leonel posed, this person was a much greater threat. 

'There's not much time left… I hear the third phase has spectators, hopefully Aina is among them.'

Leonel's coldness vanished into a genuine smile. 

During Leonel's life, Aina had only come to watch him play football once. The fact she went at all was definitely a big change for her. Usually, she avoided events like that like the plague. Just the simple action alone warmed Leonel's heart. 

Truthfully, back then, all the events that happened left him so shell shocked that he forgot that simple fact. That was right… she had come to watch him. 

Leonel's smile became a grin. To anyone observing from afar, he looked like a lovestruck fool. 

"Hey little guy."

Leonel scooped the little mink off the top of his head, stroking the little one's soft fur. 

"I know you've wanted to go to that Abode for a long time. Go ahead and breakthrough."

Little Blackstar sat up excitedly and suddenly vanished from Leonel's arms. 

Leonel chuckled. If that little guy really managed to breakthrough, who knew how much trouble he'd get into. 

When Leonel met Little Blackstar, the little mink was an Elite S-grade threat. They had done a lot of growing together since then. Though Leonel wasn't exactly sure how the cultivation of beasts worked, he trusted the little guy could make his own way forward. This was the advantage the universe gave to beasts, anyway. 

Leonel took a deep breath and casted a few more [Grand Heal]'s on Zilar. Regrowing a limb was definitely much more difficult than he had thought it would be, and that was even with his vastly improved [Grand Heal]. 

Of course, part of the reason was because Zilar was in the Fourth Dimension. But, luckily, it was just a foot and not his entire leg that had been taken out. 

"Leo! Let me in!"

At that moment, Leonel suddenly heard a distant voice. He cast a glance out of the window to find Jerach yelling at him from hundreds of meters away. It was clear the bald young man was still too scared to approach the Dream Abode of his own accord. 

Leonel allowed Zilar to continue resting before letting Jerach in. He too had some questions to ask the Black family Heir. 

"Did you hear? An Emperor of the second phase appeared! That hasn't happened before!"

Jerach boisterously strolled in, his face filled with awe. 

"The third phase is probably going to be wild. I didn't participate last time, but I'm definitely going to make a name for myself this time around."

"Jerach." Leonel cut the young Heir off before he could continue his spiel. 

Seemingly sensing Leonel's seriousness, Jerach frowned and turned back. 

"What is it?"

Leonel looked toward Jerach deeply, causing the latter to feel no small amount of discomfort. 

"What do you think of Earth?" Leonel suddenly spoke. 

"Ah…" 

Jerach froze, clearly not expecting this line of questioning. His eyes darted around as though trying to find a crutch to lean on, maybe a joke to ease the mood, but all he found was bland, neatly ordered black and white furniture. 

Leonel's eyes narrowed. It seemed he was right. There was definitely more to this. 

"Tell me." Leonel pressed. 

"I…"

Leonel frowned. After a while he shook his head. 

"If you don't want to answer, that's fine."

Leonel turned and walked away. But, he never made a move to close the door to the Abode he had just let Jerach through. His meaning was quite clear. 

Someone who signed their life away should act as such. If Jerach was unwilling to act as he should, then that only mean he didn't take this matter as seriously as Leonel once thought. And, since he didn't, that meant his character wasn't as Leonel previously deduced either. 

Leonel could tell that whatever Jerach knew was quite important. In fact, it should be to the point that he valued this information even more than his own life. 

That was fine. Leonel never planned to kill him in the first place, but he had already had one person who placed certain things above their friendship with him before. And, in such a dangerous place, within an unknown world, Leonel didn't feel like putting his life in the hands of another such person again. 

Jerach stood stunned, not quite knowing what to do. He, quite frankly, felt like a bride that had been abandoned at the alter. 

Such a joke would be enough to make him laugh at any other time, but he didn't find it funny in the least right now. 

As Jerach was hesitating, he suddenly felt his mind growing hazy. He immediately realized that this was the Dream Force beginning to encroach on his consciousness. Whatever protections Leonel had left for him were beginning to vanish. 

In a slight panic, Jerach quickly left through the door, a slight discomfort in his chest. 

This time, he had two reasons he didn't dare to look back toward that Abode.