Johan Rong stood once again at the foot of Halo Peak, eyes fixed on the summit.
Johan:"I won't win, even if I challenge him again…But I'll definitely get stronger."
A presence stepped behind him.
A figure with orange hair, orange eyes, and red mana marks—etched like ancient runes—ran across his body in a pattern resembling a leopard's spots.
Johan (surprised):"Are you… Arthur Days, the Red Leopard?"
Arthur:"Strange, isn't it? Everything on my body's orange, but people still call me the Red Leopard."
Johan:"Are you here to challenge Leon too?"
Arthur:"Yeah. Word's going around.A Golden Lion appeared on Halo Peak.A high-stage Master who defeated 300 challengers in three days—that's a hundred wins per day."
He stepped forward, confident.
Arthur:"The adults are bound by the Code of Arsyn.So it's up to our generation to hunt that lion.Today, I'll decide—which predator is stronger: the Red Leopard, or the Golden Lion."
Johan (thinking):Another idiot underestimating Leon.At least it'll be worth watching.
Together, they climbed the long stairs to the summit.
At the top, dozens of challengers lay passed out or unconscious across the platform.At the far end, seated casually on the stone steps like a king on a throne, was Leon.
His golden eyes watched them arrive.
Leon (coldly):"I thought you were a decent warrior, Johan.But to think you'd bring another man for revenge…I should've killed you when I had the chance."
Johan (angered):"HEY. Who do you think I am?Our Rong family has never broken the Code of Arsyn, not even slightly.Even when the Great Clans bent the rules, we still followed the old traditions."
(Note: In Aghnikhaat, aside from clans, many independent warrior families exist. Rong is one of them.)
Arthur (raising a hand):"I'm Arthur Days. I came to challenge you.And I met this boulder on the way."
Johan:"What boulder—? …Wait—"
Leon blurred forward using Super Flame Walk, appearing in front of Arthur in a blink and slamming a kick into his gut.
Arthur slid backward across the platform, boots skidding hard against stone.
Arthur (grinning):"At least you're not disappointing."
Leon:"But you are."
Arthur:"I'll make sure I'm not."
The mana spots across Arthur's body began to glow. Lines of orange light connected each one, forming a glowing network across his skin.
Leon (wide-eyed):"That's a… Mana Network?How did you imprint that into your body?"
Arthur:"I have Mana Leakage Syndrome.I can't contain mana normally.So my master came up with this technique."
Leon (nodding):"That's… creative. And almost impossible to pull off."
In the next instant, Arthur moved. A sudden slash aimed at Leon's head.
Leon ducked instinctively.
Leon:"I didn't expect you to use super Walk as well…"
The fight exploded into motion.
Blades clashed, sparks flew.
The two of them soared across the platform, moving with blinding speed—dodging, leaping, striking. Arthur spun midair, his sword dancing like firelight.
Leon leapt sideways, spinning through the air, blade whistling downward.
Arthur dodged, then countered—Burning Saber!
A wide net of flame lashed out at Leon, slicing across his shoulder. He coughed blood, forced back.
Johan (watching):"I know Leon's strong…Why is he holding back?"
System Notification – Special Condition Quest Activated➤ Quest: Defeat the Red Leopard using only half your strength➤ Reward: Unlock Movement Skill — Hyper Walk
Leon (thinking):I have to use my brain.
He stabbed his sword into the ground, the blade standing upright, pointing skyward.
Leon:"Spiral Flame Blade."
Eight blazing spiral blades manifested behind him, hovering like sentinels, glowing with violent golden fire.
With a flick of his finger, they launched forward—homing in on Arthur like guided missiles.
Arthur activated Super Walk, his speed blurring. He dodged the first, then the second, third, and fourth, leaping and weaving between the flaming blades like a shadow dancing through fire.
But they kept coming.
Each time he thought he'd shaken them, more surged forward, cutting off his path.
As Arthur focused entirely on evasion—breathing hard, eyes scanning—he didn't notice Leon appear beside him.
Too late.
Leon caught him by the collar and hurled him backward—straight toward the sword planted in the stone.
Arthur flailed—unable to correct midair. His body was seconds away from being impaled.
But Johan leapt forward, catching Arthur just before he hit the blade. They tumbled to the side.
Leon (calmly):"Seems like you just stepped into early Master stage."
Johan (grinning):"Yeah… the fight helped a lot.That's why I came back—even knowing I'd lose again."
Arthur stood up, breathing hard. He looked at Johan, then at Leon.
Arthur:"Thirst for strength… without arrogance.You're not as worthless as I thought."
Johan (raising an eyebrow):"...Is that a compliment or an insult?"
Arthur (smirking):"Bit of both."
He turned back to Leon.
Arthur:"Leon, can I stay here?On Halo Mountain."
Leon:"Why?"
Arthur:"I want to see how far you go.You guard an entire mountain like a lion. The stronger you become, the stronger your challengers will be.It's the perfect environment for someone who wants to grow."
Leon paused.
Leon:"I rule this mountain.If you settle here… that means you come under me. Are you fine with that?"
Arthur:"Then tell me. What's your goal?"
Leon (steady):"To become the strongest in the Arsyn Way.And unite all Arsyns under a single banner."
Arthur stood straight.
Arthur:"I, Arthur Days, pledge allegiance to Leon Halos."
Johan stepped forward as well, eyes full of conviction.
Johan:"What more does a man need than strength and legacy?I too pledge my allegiance to Leon Halos."
That day, three young predators made their stand on one mountain.
The Golden Lion,The Crimson Tiger,and the Red Leopard—all under one banner
the legacy of the Golden Lion began.
By the end of that same year, Leon—once the boy who barely survived a massacre—had stepped into the Second Realm, surpassing Grand Master to reach the Awakened Stage.
Many came to challenge the now-infamous Halo Mountain. Most returned in defeat. Some never returned at all.
But a few—those who saw beyond strength—pledged allegiance.
Among them was a monster in human form.
Salom Aratt — "The Cerberus."
Twice as strong as Leon at the time, Salom came with arrogance and left with loyalty. After a long, grueling battle, Leon defeated him—not with raw strength, but through something Salom couldn't understand at first.
When he heard Leon's ambition, he was moved.
He realized the truth:This small fight meant nothing in the path Leon was walking.A path toward unification. A path worthy of following.
Salom became the Guardian of Halo Mountain, stopping challengers before they could even glimpse Leon.
And so, in mere months, Halo Mountain—once thought fallen—rose again.
It became the home of elite mages from the younger generation.It became the place where power gathered.
It became the seat of Leon Halos—the man once thought lucky to survive.
Halo Peak – Battle Platform
Warriors stood in lines, dozens strong.Each one radiated pressure. Power. Purpose.
At the foot of the stairs leading to Leon's cave stood Salom—a towering figure of muscle and mass, his battle axe slung over his back. His brown hair tied into a wild ponytail, his voice shook the mountain.
Salom (yelling):"ATTENTION! Leon Halos is here!"
From the cave, Leon stepped forward.
Now a grown young man, his aura burned hotter and brighter than ever. Following him were:
Arthur Days, the Red Leopard
Johan Rong, the Crimson Tiger
And a striking young woman: Casy Hale, the Black Sparrow
They stood beside Leon as he reached the center of the platform. Then he spoke—his voice clear, commanding, and full of fire.
Leon:"Everyone here has reached mid-stage Master or above.My three executives—Arthur, Johan, and Casy—have each reached late-stage Grand Master.I have stepped into the early Awakened stage.And Salom now stands at mid-stage Awakened.
We have enough strength to challenge a major clan within a year.But today, we start by conquering lesser clans.We expand by taking nearby mountains.We recruit the talented—And we crush the shameless.
This day marks the beginning of our march.
The first step in uniting the Arsyn Way under a single banner.
MY banner.
I, Leon Halos, ORDER IT!!"
Everyone:"RAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
And so, Leon rampaged through the Northern Mounts.
For five months straight, his forces grew. His territory expanded. His enemies fell.He reached the peak of the Awakened Stage, and his banner flew over mountain after mountain.
Unknown Cave – Somewhere in the North
In the shadows, three clan heads met.
The heads of Ferros, Herferm, and Grehal clans.
Ferros Head:"I told you… letting that boy Leon live would become troublesome."
Herferm Head:"I know. But the Squaro clan keeps interfering, using the Code of Arsyn as a shield."
Grehal Head (disgusted):"What does Maron think will happen?Letting an enemy grow… one who wants revenge?"
Ferros Head:"We can't keep fearing Squaro forever."
Grehal Head:"Then we do to them what we did to the Halo Clan."
Herferm Head (nodding):"I agree. But first… we remove Maron."
Ferros Head:"We invite him to a feast… and while we stall him—"
Grehal Head:"—we ambush the Squaro Clan."
Herferm Head:"Kill his son, break his mind. The rest will fall like ash."
The fire of rebellion was rising.
But the fire of betrayal had already been lit.
And soon, it would consume everything.