Chapter 8: Leon vs Keeper (End)

"Leon, you need to stop the bleeding!"

Selphy asked with concern, hovering next to him behind the corridor.

Gunshots kept raining down, slamming into the walls where Leon was hiding.

It was Rex—his face furious after witnessing his comrade die at the hands of a rat who used a dirty trick and some unusual weapon he had never seen before.

Leon slammed his fist against the wall, gritted his teeth, then tore off part of his clothes to stop the bleeding from his right thigh.

The pain was agony, and blood kept pouring out from the area where the bullet had pierced through.

Selphy quickly scanned the area—then turned her gaze to Simon's body.

She hovered over and inspected what he was carrying: a telecommunication device, a spare mag, some snacks, and a healing pill—one that looked similar to NexHal.

She darted back to Leon.

"Leon, there are some healing pills—similar to the ones you took—inside that person's pocket! Is it possible to grab them?"

Selphy asked in a hurry, clearly concerned for Leon's well-being.

"Tsch…" Leon clicked his tongue; his brows furrowed in frustration.

"Don't you see!?"

Just as he tried to peek around the corner where Rex was shooting, a fresh wave of bullets rained down right where he was—

Rex was waiting.

One wrong move, and Leon would be shot dead the moment he stepped out.

To make things worse, his leg had become a serious problem—

He couldn't move fast, not with this wound.

Leon then turned his gaze to Selphy.

"Can you push me back when I grab him?"

He asked like he already had a plan—just like before.

"…Sure, but I can only manage about 5% at most. You haven't awakened yet with the Seraphim,"

Selphy replied, referring to something about the awakening of power.

Leon didn't seem to care about that right now. He just nodded to what Selphy said.

"…Okay. When I shout your name, push me back here."

He quickly checked his wound, then pulled something from his pocket.

Selphy's eyes widened the moment she saw it. She had almost forgotten—

Mach Gen 1.

A 10mm pistol that Leon had been carrying all this time. But there was only one bullet left.

"I'm not sure I can hit him with just one shot… but I trust you. If we miss, you'll pull me back to this same spot. But if we land that bullet—it's our win,"

Leon said while gripping the pistol tightly.

Selphy's mood shifted—her eyes lit up as she beamed at him.

"What's with that smile?!"

"Don't you trust me, Leon?"

She asked playfully, voice cheerful despite the danger.

"I do! But if we don't hurry, I'm going to die of blood loss!!"

Leon shouted, throwing a tantrum as Selphy's concern melted into teasing mischief.

On the other side, near the stairs, Rex was hiding—aiming at Leon with precision.

His sniper gun, BARRe GEN 12, was hanging behind his back. Right now, he was using a long-range rifle, locked onto Leon's position.

Rex knew there was only one way out—Leon had to move into his line of fire to escape.

And if he did, Rex would kill him.

But even so, Rex was cautious.

After witnessing what Leon did to his comrade, he wasn't planning to get close.

He didn't know much about that strange weapon Leon used—and that alone made him hesitate.

Worse, Rex kept missing.

Every time he tried to snipe Leon earlier, the bullet never landed.

It made him question things.

Was Leon being backed by Orion?

Even if he was, the prediction sensor shouldn't be able to keep up—

Not against this new sniper rifle that fired at 6000 km/h.

And yet, Leon dodged it.

Like it was nothing.

The whole thing felt bizarre. Unreal.

Rex locked his gaze on the spot where Leon was hiding.

Sweat began to form along his brow.

Leon had gone silent. He hadn't moved for a while.

Rex narrowed his eyes.

He knew—sooner or later, Leon would bleed out.

He had managed to land a shot on Leon's right thigh just before he jumped behind the corridor wall.

Now Leon was stuck, hiding behind thick cover, bleeding out by the second.

All Rex had to do… was wait.

Back at the corridor where Leon was hiding, he listened closely to Selphy's analysis of his opponent—Rex.

"The individual is crouched near the stairs with a rifle locked onto your position. Distance: ten meters.

With your current pistol, you can land a shot to the head—

But the real problem is moving out from cover. The moment you step into a visible area, he'll fire."

Hearing that, Leon gave Selphy a faint smile.

Then, without saying a word, he summoned his blade.

As soon as the blade appeared, Leon threw it—fast and sharp—toward the open corridor where Rex could see it.

In a split second, as the blade soared through the air, Rex's eyes tracked it. His focus shifted, his aim turning away from Leon's hiding spot and locking onto the flying blade.

At the same time Leon threw the blade, he rushed out from cover—

pistol raised—

Selphy assisting his aim.

It happened so fast.

By the time Rex realized what was going on, he snapped his aim back toward Leon and pulled the trigger.

But it was too late.

[BANG!]

The final bullet from Leon's pistol had already fired—

It pierced straight through Rex's skull.

Rex's lifeless body dropped to the ground, blood pouring from the hole in his forehead.

"YOU DID IT, LEON!"

Selphy cheered, her voice bright and joyful.

But Leon collapsed right after.

"Leon, you've reached your limit! Hurry—move!"

Selphy cried, her cheer turning into urgent panic.

Leon's face had gone pale.

He'd lost too much blood.

His strength was fading fast.

Now, crawling with what little energy he had left, Leon dragged himself toward Simon's body.

Blood continued to spill from his right thigh, leaving a red trail behind him as he pulled himself forward with trembling arms.

When he finally reached Simon's body, Leon began digging through the pockets.

He grabbed the healing pills Selphy mentioned and threw them into his mouth all at once.

Within moments, the wound began to seal—

Not as fast as NexHal, but enough to stop the bleeding.

It was working.

"Thank goodness! Your wound is healing—but you've lost too much blood. I recommend eating something. There's an energy bar in his pocket!"

Selphy hovered over Simon's body, pointing to where the supplies were.

Leon forced himself forward again, gathering what little strength he had left.

He grabbed the energy bars and began eating them quickly, almost desperately.

[Cough!]

He coughed mid-bite—he was eating too fast.

"Slow down! You can rest now—there's no one around."

Selphy reassured him gently.

Leon finally finished the last bite, exhaled, then leaned back.

His eyes grew heavy.

Without another word, he let them close—

and drifted into sleep, right there beside Simon's corpse.