Chapter 73

A/N: I know this arc is dragging out way too much, I even thought of cutting out this whole mob POV. But the way author acted, it felt like he had some plans for them later down the line. So just to play safe, I decided to not remove them.

I will end this arc tomorrow, it concludes in 3 chapters. I will release them at once tomorrow. So be sure to vote a lot of powerstones!

...

On Leon's side, he had no idea that Wanda—one of his favorites—was already scheming about how to get something out of him later. His focus remained on Mephisto.

That lightspeed kick he had landed, bolstered by his speed, had the force of a thousand tons. But Leon knew it wouldn't deal fatal damage to someone of Mephisto's caliber.

Buzz!

Leon crossed his hands, forming a brilliant golden light between them, like he was holding a miniature sun. And then, that sun exploded. Countless golden light clusters shot toward the ground like meteors, their brilliance contrasting beautifully against the dark night.

But beauty wasn't the only thing these golden spheres brought.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

In an instant, the glowing orbs struck the earth, igniting a series of explosions that shook the ground. Mushroom clouds of fire rose high, illuminating everything around them. The air swirled violently, sweeping away debris like a tidal wave swallowing everything in its path. Gravel, weeds, telephone poles, and billboards lining the kilometer-wide stretch were torn apart. Even the shattered power lines sparked faint arcs of electricity.

The ground within several kilometers looked like it had been hit by modern missiles. In that entire zone, no living thing could survive; anything caught in the blast would be obliterated.

Outside the sealed-off area, Jeff and the others clung to anything they could find in the RV, their bodies shaking violently with the impact. The powerful winds wouldn't harm them, but it gave them a visceral sense of just how terrifying the explosion at the center must be.

Through the windshield, their wide-eyed stares were locked on the distant figure in the sky—Leon, still unleashing waves of glowing light. The awe on their faces was undeniable, as if they were gazing upon a god.

"H-he's so cool!" one of them whispered in pure amazement.

"He's like a god. And believe me, Jeff, if I were a woman, I'd fall in love with him," Adam said excitedly, slapping Jeff's shoulder repeatedly.

It hurt, but Jeff didn't care at all. Several of the girls were staring with hearts practically in their eyes. How could anyone be so handsome, strong, and utterly perfect? And on top of all that, fast and able to fly. It was the total package, a sure way to steal their hearts. They were absolutely smitten.

Pietro, who had been basking in the girls' attention moments ago, noticed their sudden shift of focus to Leon. His once cool and confident demeanor vanished, leaving him speechless. In no time, the girls who had been fawning over him had shifted their affections entirely.

"Superficial, the lot of them. A bunch of shallow girls," Pietro huffed in annoyance, crossing his arms.

His friend, Sumarokov, knew him all too well. He caught Pietro's expression and immediately understood what was going through his head. Sumarokov bumped Pietro's shoulder and 'comforted', "Come on, Pietro. Don't feel bad. We all know you're a charming guy, but at the end of the day, you're just a boy. And when it comes to the boss, well, Leon's on a whole other level."

"Go away," Pietro muttered, feeling very "touched" by his friend's attempt at "comfort." He shot Sumarokov a friendly middle finger in response.

Sumarokov chuckled, clearly enjoying Pietro's reaction. Watching his usually mischievous friend get flustered gave him a sense of satisfaction. After all, someone had to put Pietro in his place when the chance arose.

Their banter was cut short by Wanda. Her eyes, glowing like red gems, were fixed on the aftermath of the explosion. Her delicate, serious expression made it clear something was off. "I can feel it... that guy's completely unharmed."

Pietro and Sumarokov looked at her in surprise. "Leon's attack didn't do much?" Wanda continued, her tone tense.

"What?" Pietro raised an eyebrow. The wind whipped through his hair and clothes, but he hardly noticed as he crossed his arms, thinking. "Those light attacks were like missile strikes."

Sumarokov nodded. "With that kind of bombardment, and the guy's still fine? Who is this guy?"

"Leon called him Mephisto," Wanda said softly, her pink lips barely moving.

"Mephisto?" Pietro and Sumarokov exchanged confused looks. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but they couldn't quite place it.

Wanda, however, didn't have time to elaborate. The situation was far too serious for distractions.

"Leon called him Mephisto," Wanda murmured softly, her pink lips barely moving.

"Mephisto?" Pietro and Sumarokov looked at each other, confused. The name sounded familiar, but they couldn't quite place it.

Wanda didn't press them, instead focusing on the red figure looming in the flames. She whispered, "Demon Lord Mephisto."

"Demon lord?" The realization finally hit Pietro and Sumarokov, their expressions turning to shock. "Wait, isn't that the guy who rules Hell?"

"Exactly," Wanda confirmed, her red eyes glowing with intensity. "If the creature we're facing is truly Mephisto, it means one thing."

Pietro and Sumarokov stared at her, their faces now serious. "Hell..."

Leon had mentioned to them once, during a casual conversation, that the world was far more complex than they could imagine, with beings from other dimensions and realms. They had believed him, but always with a small sense of doubt. After all, they had never encountered anything that otherworldly—until now.

Mephisto's appearance shattered all of those doubts. The Demon Lord himself was standing before them, the ruler of Hell.

"Man, this is insane," Pietro muttered, his usual playful demeanor replaced with concern. "What we've dealt with up until now was nothing—just some shady organizations and their little winter projects."

"Now we're talking about facing mythological beings," Sumarokov added, his voice tense. "Is this why Leon's been having us capture all those guys?"

Wanda's expression hardened as she interrupted their thoughts. "Leon has his reasons, and whatever those reasons are, we follow. We support him. No questions." Her gaze locked onto Pietro's as if saying, 'Question me and you die.'

Pietro felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.