Back to Leon
He collapsed to his knees. Time had no meaning. Thoughts slowed. Even fear had abandoned him.
But somewhere… deep inside… something flickered.
A core.
It wasn't elemental.
It wasn't magic.
It was a memory.
One memory.
"Screw the odds. We climb."
—Leon, Floor 87.
It ignited like a spark in dry grass.
And suddenly—
A flash. Another.
Kael's laugh. Aris's scowl. Roselia's stubborn smile. Roman's quiet nod. Milim's chaos. Naval's steady voice.
Names.
Faces.
Self.
Leon's hand twitched.
A faint glow emerged beneath the dust.
The Crownless Fragment he'd earned.
A voice—his own—echoed in the empty field:
"Standing still is surrender."
Leon stood.
And the Tower shuddered.
The dust warped around him. The void hissed, trying to press in, but it couldn't reach him now. His memories weren't just thoughts—they were anchors.