Chapter 36 – The Calm Before the Storm: Foundations of the Voidborn

The night after the recruitment shook the Academy, Leon stood alone on the highest spire, overlooking the entire campus bathed in moonlight. The cold wind whispered like ancient spirits, brushing through his hair as the stars above blinked with quiet judgment.

He wasn't a fool.

He knew what they whispered.

"Monster."

"Tyrant."

"Anomaly."

Since his arrival, Leon had done nothing but tear apart the fragile balance this so-called elite Academy had built. First, by surviving what should've been a death sentence. Then, by wielding Void energy, which most deemed a forbidden force. And now… now he was forming his own faction within these very walls.

And yet, beneath the façade of confidence, even Leon felt the weight of it all.

[Selene]: "You carry their fear like a crown."

Leon smirked faintly. "Fear keeps them from standing in my way."

[Selene]: "But fear alone doesn't build empires. For that... you need loyalty. Family. Purpose."

Leon was silent for a moment, staring out at the horizon. Family. That word cut deeper than any blade. The ghost of his mother's smile flickered in his mind. Celeste, reborn and by his side once more, had only just begun recovering her full self.

They had barely started this journey... and the storm was already gathering.

---

In the Depths of the Academy – Council of Elders

Far below, behind walls lined with ancient glyphs, the Academy's High Council convened.

"What he's forming is dangerous," the Grand Elder growled, his fingers curling into fists. "A legion of radicals... of rejects."

"But it's not just that," another elder countered. "Void energy. Forbidden arts. And now, the Chrono Sages are sniffing around him."

At the mention of the Chrono Sages, the entire room fell silent. Those enigmatic masters of time rarely moved unless something threatened the balance of realms.

"Leon must be watched," the Grand Elder declared. "Watched... or destroyed."

---

Back in Leon's Quarters

The door creaked open softly. Celeste entered, her golden hair glowing faintly in the dim candlelight. Her presence was more than comforting; it was grounding. The warmth of someone who truly understood him.

"You didn't sleep," she said softly.

"I can't afford to."

She stepped closer, placing a hand over his. "They'll all come for you now. You know that, don't you?"

Leon looked at her, his gaze steady. "Let them come. They've taken from me before. I won't allow it again."

But Celeste wasn't convinced. "You're carrying everything on your back. Even with Selene... even with me... how long until it crushes you?"

[Selene]: "She speaks truth, Leon. The Voidborn Legion is a seed, but it cannot thrive if its roots are weak."

Leon sighed. "Then it's time to make it stronger."

---

The Next Day – Voidborn Legion Assembly

In the heart of the Academy's grand arena, beneath the gaze of hundreds, Leon stood before the handful of students who had chosen to follow him.

They were warriors. Rogues. Scholars shunned for heretical research. Outcasts with nowhere else to belong.

And they were his now.

Leon's voice echoed with quiet, dangerous certainty. "This world... this multiverse... it's built on lies. On stagnation. On gods fattened by your obedience."

He paced slowly, eyes sharp as daggers. "But I offer you truth. I offer you power beyond your bloodlines, your ranks, your worthless titles. I offer freedom."

No one spoke. They didn't need to. The fire in their eyes said enough.

"We are the Voidborn. And we will rise from the shadows of this decaying realm... and devour the heavens themselves."

Behind him, Celeste stood with pride. Beside her, Ishka sharpened her spear. Veyra adjusted her gloves, a wicked grin on her lips.

The beginnings of a family. The first threads of something far greater.

---

Later That Night – A Whisper from the Chrono Sages

As the moon reached its peak, a letter appeared on Leon's bedside table, written in ink that shimmered like flowing sand.

"Time itself watches you, Leon of the Void. The threads twist, and a storm approaches. Meet us beyond the veil. Or be consumed by what is coming."

Leon read it twice, then once more.

[Selene]: "They're making their move sooner than expected."

Leon folded the letter calmly. "Good. Let the games begin."

Celeste leaned against the doorway. "What now?"

"Now?" Leon smiled coldly. "We make the Voidborn unstoppable."

---

Meanwhile – Unseen Forces Stirring

Far beyond the Academy, in the cold vacuum between worlds, ancient entities whispered.

"The Void Wielder has awakened."

"So soon?"

"He is not ready."

"Then we will make him ready… or destroy him before he learns the truth."

And as the multiverse held its breath, Leon took his first steps not just toward survival…

…but conquest.