039 THE REFLECTION OF SACRIFICE

039 THE REFLECTION OF SACRIFICE

Curiosity buzzed through the crowd as they marveled at Leo's speed and strength.

After Leo had accepted the demon Lusifar, the Black Cock, into his body, he gained a portion of Lusifar's demonic speed and power.

Lillwo pressed on, striking repeatedly, but the seasoned general was no match for Leo's demonic agility and finesse.

"Is that all a peak-tier Mula can offer? Pathetic," Leo sneered, dodging another of Lillwo's furious attacks with effortless grace, his movements far exceeding the crowd's expectations.

"How is this possible?" Kassim muttered from the sidelines, disbelief in his eyes.

"Leo is supposed to be just a minor Cakra Mula, yet he's faster than Lillwo, a peak-tier fighter."

"That's because he's no ordinary mage," Lillann replied, narrowing his eyes as he observed Leo closely.

"I examined his magic just two days ago. There's no way he should be this powerful," Kassim insisted.

"Look at his cloak," Lillann pointed out. "Even I can't sense the full extent of its magic. It's a rare treasure—at least Svad-tier, capable of masking power."

"Svad-tier equipment? Those are almost impossible to come by, and what little we have is reserved for our army, not individuals," Kassim said, stunned. "Are you saying Leo's been hiding his true abilities from us all along? How did I miss this?"

"And take a look at the woman he brought back with him, his so-called 'slave,'" Lillann continued. "Can you sense her magic at all?"

"She's just a beginner mage, wait she's wearing the same cloak as Lilleo," Kassim replied.

"What you see about her is probably just what appears on the surface. If I had to guess, that woman alone could flatten our entire house with a single spell," Lillann speculated.

"Are you serious?" Kassim asked, wide-eyed.

"It's the only explanation for Leo's arrogance. He must think our entire family is beneath him in strength, to be able to come up with this farce," Lillann said regretfully.

"Will the old general lose?" Kassim asked, looking back at the fight.

"The real question is," Lillann replied, "how could he possibly win against people like this?"

Meanwhile, Lillwo, relentless in his fury, summoned another spell—a massive fist of energy that began to take shape above him, swirling and expanding until it towered like a giant projection of his power.

This wasn't a physical fist but a manifestation of his magical strength. With a furious shout, he sent it barreling toward Leo, crushing everything in its path.

Leo couldn't dodge it in time.

"This time, you die!" Lillwo screamed, his voice thick with malice.

Despite Leo's agility, Lillwo's magic and combat experience were becoming clear. As the dust and debris settled, spectators whispered among themselves, struggling to make out Leo's fate.

"No one could survive that," one onlooker murmured.

"Serves him right," another muttered. "A novice challenging a veteran."

Their whispers died when a voice rose from the cloud of destruction.

"It's too early to decide what I deserve, you fucking idiots."

To everyone's astonishment, Leo stepped out of the rubble, completely unscathed. His cloak was untouched, not a scratch on it.

"That's impossible!" gasped someone. "Even his cloak survived?"

"It must be indestructible!"

"How did you come by such artifacts?" Lillwo shouted, his frustration mounting.

Kassim and Lillann exchanged glances. "See what I mean? The cloak!!" Lillann whispered, and Kassim nodded.

Just then, a voice called out from the crowd. It was Yun-Yun, the striking woman who had appeared by Leo's side. She eyed his cloak with a look of satisfaction.

"See, the fabrics are perfectly woven to resist fire, ice, and magic—ideal for neutralizing this old man's tricks, it could camouflage too," Leo remarked to Yun-Yun about his magic cloak, as he brushed off the remnants of Lillwo's latest assault.

"Who is she?" a family member asked, eyeing the woman.

"His... slave, apparently," someone muttered.

"How dare you ignore me!" Lillwo shouted, his rage boiling over. "Do you think I'm nothing?"

Leo barely spared him a glance. "Stop wasting my time. Throw everything you've got—magic, weapons, even that old shriveling cock of yours. Just make it quick."

"Lillwo, give it up. You're outmatched," Lillann called.

"Never!" Lillwo roared.

Lillwo used his strongest spell, yet Leo was unscathed. In Lillwo's mind, there was only one solution: Leo had to be eliminated if he was to have a place in the family. He clenched his fists, his thoughts racing.

There was only one option left, a final gamble.

With a fierce resolve, Lillwo reached into his robes, pulling out an ancient, ornate mirror.

"No! Not the Mirror of Gullee!" Lillann shouted, alarmed. "That's our family's greatest treasure, meant for shielding our forces in battle, not duels!"

But Lillwo's mind was made up. Driven by his obsession with victory, he raised the mirror, ready to unleash its forbidden power.

"I'll sacrifice anything, even my life, to destroy you!" he screamed.

"That mirror will destroy you too!" Lillann warned. "It requires the blood of many to fuel its power. Using it alone will drain your life force!"

Yun-Yun's voice turned serious as she warned Leo, "Be careful. That mirror's magic is deadly."

The Mirror of Gullee was a special artifact that could pool the sacrifice of life and blood of soldiers to cast a single powerful spell in battle. It was reserved to be used in the direst of situations because the cost was high. Those who sacrificed to the mirror would be weakened or wounded.

A brilliant beam of light shot from the Mirror of Gullee, its force shaking the entire estate. Family members scrambled for cover as pillars collapsed and roofs caved in.

"Lillwo, I've been waiting for you," Leo shouted as he charged straight through the mirror's magic, shattering its incomplete attack before it could fully form.

In a flash, Leo was upon Lillwo, his hands wrapped tightly around the old mage's throat, his demonic strength showing.

"You've wasted enough blood on this stupid mirror," Leo growled, his eyes glowing a deep, menacing crimson as dark energy radiated from him.

"Waste no more", he shrieked in an unhuman voice.