Dimensional Descent

The temperature around Leonel dropped by several measures, a shocking feat considering tongues of fire were still nipping around the battlefield and him. But, this was simply the representation of how much rage he was feeling.

Leonel had never truly gotten a chance to vent out what had happened to him almost three years ago now, but that didn't mean that he had gotten over it. He usually wore a charismatic smile and had a carefree attitude, but that only hid a deep rooted pride that he didn't often show, a pride that had been encroached upon in this way once before, and a pride he refused to allow to be encroached upon again in this very same way.

The moment Leonel sensed the change, he react, shooting backward as his gaze became frightening. He didn't need to think very much to understand what was going on.

With all the prayers that the Head of Misty Woods had been so pious in chanting, it didn't take a genius to understand that he was a very religiously devout man, it also wasn't that much of a leap for Leonel to conclude that his strength and that odd, mysterious Force also came from his worship.

For someone like Leonel, he might not have believed in a God back when he was on Third Dimensional Earth. But, he was also a person who was very flexible when presented with new information. He wasn't stubborn to a fault. In fact, he could very easily accept new theories with solid proof behind them.

Since he was aware that there was higher Dimensional beings far greater than himself and he could see how the Head's prayer led to an increase in his strength, was it that great of a leap to accept that Gods and Goddesses, or at least what lower Dimensional beings would perceive as Gods and Goddesses, did exist?

And, in the case that such a being existed, it also wouldn't be too large of a leap to believe that they got something out of people worshipping them, not much different from how Leonel's King's Might grew stronger the more subordinates he had… In fact, it was quite eerily similar in that way.

Having reached a conclusion up to here, what would a God that lost a devout follower do? Shouldn't there be some sort of punishment so that no one dared to casually target their people?

By this point, everything made sense. Clearly, Leonel was being targeted for having killed a follower of this Evergreen Goddess. In fact, he was precisely being punished because the man in question—Ossan Jovyre—was deeply involved to the religion to the point where he had become a Titled Member.

This so-call 'Title' differed depending on the religion. But, the label of Titled Member was the same across all of them. Simply put, they were individuals who had enough belief to gain some small favor from their God or Goddess.

However, understanding this didn't lessen Leonel's fury in the slightest. In fact, it only made his rage all the more palpable.

What was the underlying meaning of this action? Wasn't it that the followers of this religion could kill as they pleased and those without a 'God' or 'Goddess' to protect them could only accept whatever punishment such a person deemed them deserving of? What kind of bullshit was that?

Leonel's pupils flickered with red.

If this seal was on the same level as the one Shield Cross Stars had put on him, it would have only been a matter of a thought to obliterate it. After all, the current Leonel was so far beyond that previous Sael in strength that it would be child's play. But, clearly this one was on a completely different level. Leonel could tell that not only would it brand him, but it would even weaken him like a curse.

The sight of Leonel shooting back and dodging air was a shocking one for many to behold. Most here weren't even qualified to sense what was chasing Leonel. In fact, any member of the Evergreen Religion or Church would be shocked at Leonel's mere reaction to it, let alone the fact he was actually still dodging it.

"FUCK OFF!"

Leonel's roar shook the skies. He pointed his finger forward at what seemed like empty air, his gaze alight with a furious crimson.

At that moment, a beautiful light of twisting golden red appeared. Those that saw it initially felt it was among the most gorgeous colors they had ever seen. Something about it seemed otherworldly and transcendental. But, in the blink of an eye, that fascination turned to horror.

A fear the likes of which rose up from the very depths of their hearts took hold. It was a kind of instinctual fear… Like one a child would have to the dark or prey would have toward its predator… This energy felt like it was meant to take hold and destroy the world.

Everything in its path turned to ash.

BANG!

The energy exploded, clashing with the air before blasting through in the next moment. It tore into the ground and incinerated a line down the army of the three organizations. Anyone touched by this Force was left without a body. Anyone even near it burst from the inside out, every ounce of liquid in their body vaporizing in an instant.

The world fell into silence. A moment later, all that was left was a certain young man heaving out deep breaths, his gasps radiating out with a black fog that seemed to originate from his inner organs.

Leonel had suddenly gone from a man who finished a battle with three Fifth Dimensional existences without breaking a sweat to a mortal man who looked like he had just finished running a marathon… If marathons also charred your inner organs black, that is.

It was safe to say that Leonel was furious, even now. He shouldn't have been pushed so far just to deal with something like this.

Planet Valiant began to rumble. The line Leonel had cut through the earth bubbled forth with waves of lava that seemed to originate from its core. The destruction such a small beam of energy was beyond their wildest imagination. They could only look toward Leonel as though he was some sort of monster.

It was at that moment that several cloaked figures descended from the skies, seemingly not worried about the planet's state in the slightest. All of their gazes locked onto Leonel.