Chapter 37 – The Heir of Time and the Forbidden Pact

The dawn following the massacre was heavy. The Academy grounds, once bustling with vibrant young prodigies, now seemed suffocated under an invisible pressure. Everyone knew—Leon was no longer just another student. He was now a force beyond comprehension, and the Academy couldn't contain him much longer.

But the whispers that plagued the halls were not about Leon's raw power. No. They were about the two women by his side—Celeste, returned from death, and Selene, the mysterious beauty whose very presence made the air tremble.

And the worst part? Nobody knew who Selene truly was.

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Inside Leon's Quarters – Morning After

Selene gazed out the large arched window, her piercing violet eyes staring blankly at the horizon. Her thoughts swirled like a storm, knowing full well the world would soon come for Leon.

"He can't keep doing this…" she murmured.

"Doing what?"

Leon's voice made her flinch. He approached from behind, his presence like a king who ruled everything around him. His once soft and naïve demeanor was gone, replaced by cold calculation.

"Slaughtering his enemies?" he added with a smirk.

Selene turned, her lips parting to argue, but the moment her gaze met his, the words died in her throat. There was something primal in his gaze—an unquenchable hunger for power and vengeance.

"Leon…" she whispered, her voice shaky. "They'll come for you. The Academy, the royal families, the Abyssal Courts… you've gained too much attention."

"Good," he simply stated, walking past her. "I've decided to stop hiding. Let them come."

Her fists clenched. "This isn't a game. You're putting yourself in the crosshairs of empires."

Leon's gaze darkened. "Then I'll burn their empires to the ground."

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The High Council of Elders – Emergency Meeting

The Grand Elder of the Academy slammed his fist on the stone table. "This is unacceptable! The boy has completely disregarded our laws. He must be contained!"

"And how do you propose we contain someone who annihilated an Abyssal Strike Force?" another elder mocked.

The room fell silent. Everyone knew the answer—they couldn't.

"He has yet to form a solid power base," a voice spoke from the shadows. All heads turned toward a veiled figure, one who represented the Celestial Conclave—a hidden organization that influenced countless realms.

"Destroy his alliances. Isolate him. Remove his support pillars," the figure continued. "And when he stands alone, he will fall."

A twisted silence spread across the room. The order was given.

---

Courtyard – First Recruitment Day

Leon stood in the heart of the courtyard, his void-black aura simmering around him like the breath of death itself. Behind him stood Celeste, Selene, and twelve newly sworn recruits—his future Voidborn Legion.

"I will say this once…" Leon's voice carried, deep and commanding. "The old world order is dying. Anyone who wishes to carve their path, free of chains, step forward."

Most students shuddered, fearing even standing near him. But then, a man stepped forward—Ishka, a former warlord known for his unrivaled spear skills.

"You have my loyalty," Ishka declared.

Moments later, Veyra, an outcast alchemist with a bloodline cursed by forbidden magic, stepped forward.

"Your vision… aligns with my own," she said.

And one by one, warriors, mages, assassins, and outcasts alike began stepping forward—answering the call of the Voidborn Legion.

By sunset, Leon had forty loyal followers—and that number would soon grow.

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Nightfall – The Arrival of the Chrono Sage

As night descended, the air thickened with ancient, untouched power. Without warning, a tear in space cracked open in the sky above the Academy.

A figure emerged. Clad in silver and obsidian robes, his face hidden beneath a mask of time itself.

"The Chrono Sage…" Selene gasped, recognizing the aura. "Why is he here?"

Leon smiled coldly. "Let's find out."

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Private Chamber – Meeting the Sage

The Chrono Sage didn't bow. He didn't kneel. He simply… stared. "You have awoken something the Multiverse is not ready for, boy."

Leon smirked, unbothered. "And you've come to stop me?"

"No. I've come to warn you." The Sage's voice reverberated unnaturally. "The Void is awakening. And when it does, the Celestial Realms will descend. You are not just a wielder—you are the key to the end of existence."

Leon's smirk deepened. "Then I'll break existence and forge my own."

The Chrono Sage froze. Silence hung thick. "You are a fool… but perhaps a necessary one."

Leon leaned forward. "So tell me, Sage—what's your game?"

And for the first time in millennia, the Chrono Sage laughed. "My game? To see if you can survive long enough to become what you were destined to be."

Leon's eyes burned with a sinister light. "Then watch closely."

And the storm of the Voidborn Legion… had just begun.