Before Leon could ask any questions, Rebecca blurted out,

“Why can’t the captain stay in the Empire, Dad?”

“After Victor’s death, the Empire will undoubtedly intensify its efforts to hunt Leon down. In less than three days, wanted posters with his face will cover every street in the Empire. And this time, the search will be far more thorough than when I was here in the Empire,” Tiger explained slowly.

“Keeping him here will only increase his risk. And most importantly, if we want to uncover what conspiracy is brewing between the Empire and the dragons, we can’t just investigate from within the Empire. Someone has to go to the dragons’ realm to find the other half of the answers.”

“And that someone has to be someone the dragons trust, who also knows them well.”

Trusted by dragons, knowledgeable about dragons…

Tiger and Rebecca both turned to look at Leon.

Leon blinked. “I… do I really look like someone the dragons trust?”

“You married a dragon and had kids with her. How is that not trust?” Rebecca asked.

Martin was shocked. “Wait, wait, wait! The captain married a dragon and had kids? When did this happen? Why didn’t I know? Also, aren’t humans and dragons… biologically incompatible?”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you earlier. Not only did the captain have kids with a dragon, but he had three!” Rebecca held up three fingers.

“T-three?! Captain, that many would get you fined in the Empire!”

Leon silently covered his face.

He really wanted to escape but couldn’t.

He thought this kind of embarrassing interrogation only happened when he was with Rosvisser.

How come even with a long-distance relationship, they still wouldn’t let him off the hook?

“Ahem… Since everyone seems to have so much faith in your rapport with the dragons, the task of infiltrating their territory and gathering intelligence falls to you, my dear apprentice,” Tiger said with a serious expression.

“Master, where did you get the idea that everyone has faith in my rapport with the dragons? We didn’t even get to that part of the discussion yet!”

“Alright then, let’s vote. Those in favor of sending Leon to the dragons’ realm to gather intel, please breathe.”

Martin didn’t catch on.

Rebecca, on the other hand, blew a gust of air right into Leon’s face.

“Okay, four to one, motion passed.”

Four to one?

Oh~~

He was counting Victor too, wasn’t he?

Master never missed a detail.

“Master… you make a good point, but if I leave, will you all really be able to handle the Empire?”

“Of course. The Empire’s main target is you. Once they discover you’ve left, they won’t focus as much manpower or resources on us. And if you’re with the dragons, their reach won’t extend that far. They might send someone like Constantine after you again, but you’ve already shown them what the strongest dragon-slayer is capable of.”

Tiger had always been confident in his apprentice’s abilities. After all, in hundreds of years, only one exceptional SSR had emerged—what was wrong with being a little more powerful?

“In any case, if you return to the Silver Dragon’s side, it’ll be safer for you and much more efficient for gathering intel than staying here with us.”

“I agree with Dad’s idea,” Rebecca said.

“I also support Mr. Tiger,” Martin added.

Leon pressed his lips together, unsure of what to do.

Seeing Leon’s hesitation, Tiger realized his earlier reasoning hadn’t hit the mark, and that this stubborn kid needed a different approach.

Alright then, if you’re going to be this stubborn, don’t blame me for playing dirty.

“Besides… you’ll get to reunite with your wife.”

Leon: “?”

“Is that the main point? Am I really that kind of person? Rebecca, am I?”

“If I had such a beautiful wife, I’d also be eager to get home. Captain, no need to hide it.”

“Hey, you! …Martin, you tell me, do I seem like the type to prioritize love over friendship?”

Martin thought for a moment and then replied, “Captain, you’re at an age where it’s natural to miss your wife. It’s no big deal, no need to feel embarrassed.”

“Nonsense! Ridiculous! I, Leon Cosmody, would never abandon my teammates just to see my wife. Even if the Empire is hunting me down and wanted posters with my face cover every street, I would never leave you all!”

“Leaving tonight.”

“Alright, thanks, Master!”

…

The original plan had been to lay low for a while before sneaking Leon out of the city.

But considering the level of his wanted status, which was likely to exceed the highest level of red, it was clear they couldn’t wait it out.

With that in mind, it was best to move quickly—before the Empire discovered Victor’s death—so they could get Leon out of the city that very night.

Martin, who couldn’t risk being seen, made his way back into the city via a secluded path.

Leon, Tiger, and Rebecca, on the other hand, approached the city gates.

It was already late at night, and the rain was pouring down, meaning there were no caravans or carts Leon could hide in to escape.

Moreover, due to the recent church battle, the Empire had already noticed Leon’s presence and would undoubtedly strengthen patrols at the gates. Even if he tried to hide in a cart, he’d likely be discovered.

Climbing over the towering city walls was also impossible. Going around them would take at least a day and a night.

“Building walls this long must have cost a fortune,” Rebecca remarked, always focusing on the strangest things.

The three of them lay atop a low building, observing the situation at the gate.

Not only had more patrols been deployed, but there were also cages on either side of the gate, each containing dangerous creatures.

“Long-tailed demon apes,” Rebecca identified the creatures inside the cages with a glance. “Very intelligent monsters, much more adept at teamwork than most dangerous species. They have incredible stamina and endurance.”

“Kid, in a moment, Rebecca and I will cause a distraction at the gate. You’ll slip out during the chaos,” Tiger said. “But they’ll definitely send people after you. Can you escape?”

Leon’s expression was serious. “I should be able to. Even if I can’t, I can always circle back.”

Tiger sighed. “Don’t take this lightly, kid. If you can’t escape and return to the Empire, getting out again will be nearly impossible. We only have one shot at this tonight.”

Leon bit his lip, thought for a moment, then nodded. “I understand, Master.”

“By the way, we need to set up a way to regularly exchange information. Any thoughts?” Tiger asked.

Leon considered it. “How about every three months, we meet at the cave where you used to hide?”

“No problem.”

Who would’ve thought that even at the very end, his long-distance wife would still be playing a role?

After confirming the information exchange plan, Tiger said, “Rebecca, fire a few shots to start things off.”

“No problem, Dad.”

The crazy little twin-tailed girl loaded her guns, stood atop the low building, and fired several shots into the sky, which was shrouded in clouds.

The gunfire and flashes of light immediately attracted the attention of the guards at the gate.

“It’s the red-wanted criminal, Rebecca Clement! Capture her!”

Hearing the guards shout, Rebecca sneered. “Just a few days ago, I was your colleague, and now I’m a red-wanted criminal. Hmph, I told you, wasting away in the patrol squad was the real danger!”

Tiger drew his sword and turned back to Leon, saying, “Take care of yourself, kid.”

“You too, Master. And Rebecca, make sure you stay safe.”

“Got it, Captain. Go find your wife with peace of mind!”

Leon smiled helplessly, deciding not to argue any further.

After the first round of gunfire, Tiger and Rebecca leaped down from the low building, engaging the patrols in combat.

Magic clashed, blades flashed, and bullets flew, quickly turning the scene into chaos.

Leon seized the opportunity to slip around the low building and slowly made his way toward the city gate.

The massive gate was tightly closed, requiring at least four people working together to activate the mechanism to open it.

But there was a special passageway next to it, reserved for members of the royal family.

Unable to open the main gate, Leon had no choice but to sneak out through the royal passage.

At the entrance to the special passage, two guards were posted.

Taking care of them wasn’t the hard part. The challenge was escaping immediately after without delay.

Leon prepared himself, inching towards the entrance of the passage.

The two guards, armed with longswords and standard-issue pistols at their waists, were completely focused on the chaos of the battle ahead, oblivious to Leon sneaking up from behind.

Hunched over, Leon moved silently, creeping closer from the side.

Once he was close enough, Leon swiftly struck, delivering a precise chop to one guard’s neck, knocking him out cold.

The second guard reacted quickly, raising his sword to strike Leon.

But let’s be honest, if you think that’s naive, consider that once there was an imperial guard who thought he could solo the strongest dragon-slayer, General Leon, with just a short sword.

Leon easily deflected the guard’s strike. The man, refusing to give up, reached for his pistol, but before he could aim, Leon knocked him to the ground with a powerful leg sweep.

With the guards taken care of, Leon glanced one last time at the battlefield, where his master and Rebecca fought.

“Take care, you two,” he murmured.

Then, turning quickly, he unleashed a powerful strike that blew apart the security door of the passage.

Without wasting any time, Leon sprinted through the passage and beyond the Empire’s walls.

The guards entangled with Tiger and Rebecca heard the commotion, and when they turned, Leon had already made his escape.

“It’s Cosmody! After him! Release the long-tailed demon apes, we must catch him!”

With the command, the cages opened, and two demon apes howled excitedly as they dashed after Leon.

The downpour made the ground slick with mud, greatly slowing Leon’s pace.

But the demon apes, being four-legged creatures, had no problem navigating the terrain.

The distance between them and Leon shrank rapidly.

The apes’ howls grew louder, mocking their prey as they closed in on him.

Leon glanced back at the two apes, raising his right hand as faint crackles of lightning sparked in his palm.

The stormy sky overhead began to churn.

With a deafening roar of thunder, a massive bolt of lightning shot down from the clouds, striking the two apes and reducing them to smoldering remains.

After releasing the lightning, Leon’s pace faltered for a moment.

“Tsk, the magic buildup is still too slow…” he muttered, quickly adjusting his rhythm and heading toward the forest ahead.

If he could make it through the forest, over a few mountain ranges, and across a barren desert, he’d reach the border between human and dragon territory.

It sounded simple enough, but even for someone as strong as Leon, the journey would take at least two weeks of non-stop travel.

And that was just the journey to leave human lands. To reach the Silver Dragon tribe, it would take at least another ten days.

As Leon calculated the time he’d need for the journey, he stopped beneath a tree, leaning against the trunk and wiping the rain from his face.

“I’m starting to envy that dragon. Wings would be pretty handy right now… If I could just fly,” he grumbled.

The Silver Dragon tribe, known for their speed, could make the entire journey in just three hours.

After grumbling for a moment, Leon was about to resume his trek.

But then, a piercing howl from a demon ape echoed from all directions.

Leon’s heart tightened. “Looks like the Empire was prepared…”

The sound of rustling leaves and creaking branches surrounded him.

Leon stayed alert, scanning his surroundings to avoid being ambushed by the cunning creatures.

The eerie howls echoed through the rain.

The creatures weren’t in any hurry to attack. They were trying to wear down Leon’s resolve bit by bit.

Leon tried to gather his magic again, but the lightning in his palm flickered twice and then fizzled out.

“Roar!!”

One of the demon apes, like a phantom, charged at Leon from the side.

Reacting quickly, Leon crouched and dodged, then delivered a powerful punch to the ape’s abdomen.

The creature howled in pain, and Leon seized the opportunity to grab its tail while stomping on its leg, breaking the bone.

The ape writhed on the ground, clutching its broken leg, its screams attracting more of its kind.

They descended on Leon like raindrops, one after another, surrounding him.

Leon quickly counted—there were at least forty of them.

“Damn it, I really stirred up a hornet’s nest…”

The long-tailed demon apes weren’t like other dangerous creatures. They were smarter, more capable of teamwork, and strategic in their approach.

Leon knew this well, so he had no intention of engaging them in a drawn-out fight.

Especially since the Empire’s soldiers would arrive soon. He couldn’t afford to get bogged down here.

He needed to escape—fast.

Leon studied the apes surrounding him, locking his gaze on one. In an instant, he kicked off the ground, mud and rain splattering as he dashed toward the target.

The apes barely had time to react as Leon tore through their ranks.

“Roar!!”

Screams of excitement, pain, triumph, and threats filled the air.

Leon, relying solely on his combat skills, tore through the group of beasts.

After cutting a path through them, he sprinted towards the opening.

But the apes scattered into the trees, chasing Leon from all directions.

This wasn’t a simple chase. The apes were gradually wearing down Leon’s stamina.

“Damn… this is turning into a problem,” Leon muttered, realizing the apes' strategy.

He had no effective counter. After breaking through three more ambushes, Leon ducked under the shelter of a massive tree.

Leaning against the trunk, he slowly sat down, breathing heavily.

Leon closed his eyes, trying to recover his strength.

The rain pounded his face, soaking him to the bone. His body was using up energy to maintain his temperature, which was speeding up his fatigue.

Raising his cold hand, Leon brushed his wet hair out of his eyes. He leaned back against the tree trunk, staring up at the stormy sky.

He still hadn’t made it past the Empire’s border, yet his strength was nearly gone.

And the howls of the demon apes echoed once again through the forest.

Closer and closer…

He looked back towards the Empire’s distant walls. “Should I go back…?”

The road to the dragons was long and perilous.

But if he turned back now, within an hour, he could reunite with Master and Rebecca.

Even if they could only investigate the conspiracy from within the Empire, it would just mean working a bit slower…

Turning back would be so easy.

But if he did that, he might never see Rosvisser and his little daughter again.

Never see them…

“Roar!—”

The demon apes suddenly descended around Leon.

They looked down at the exhausted prey in front of them, letting out triumphant cries.

Leon gritted his teeth, using the tree for support as he slowly stood up.

But his foot slipped in the mud, and he collapsed back onto the ground.

“Roar-roar! Grrr~~” The apes beat their chests, making strange sounds, mocking Leon.

The dragon-slayer’s eyes lost their last glimmer of warmth.

Slowly, he stood up again and stepped toward the nearest ape.

…

Half an hour later, the bodies of demon apes nearly filled the clearing.

Leon, covered in blood, slumped against the tree, barely able to breathe.

In the distance, the voices of the Empire’s soldiers were growing closer.

Leon closed his eyes. In his 23 years of short yet brilliant life, he had never retreated from a decision once he made up his mind.

But this time, the long road ahead and the danger he faced had made him hesitate.

The rain poured down as if it would extinguish the faint flame that had kept Leon going all these years.

His head rested against the rough tree bark as the cold rainwater washed over his face.

But then, the rain suddenly stopped.

Yet the sound of rainfall continued.

Leon opened his eyes slowly, puzzled.

In front of him stood a silver-haired beauty, her dress soaked with rain, yet her dragon wings shielded him from the storm.

They locked eyes, just as they had so many times in the past.

The flicker of hope reignited in Leon’s once-dull eyes. In his dark pupils, the brilliant silver glow reflected back at him.

“You… didn’t leave?” Leon asked.

“No, I never left.”

“Rosvisser…”

“Let’s go home, Leon.”