He sat there, legs crossed, his blade stabbed into the ground beside him. The weight of a tremendous battle behind his eyes.
Suddenly—
"Onii-chan!!!"
Lia's voice broke through the silence.
She sprinted through the ash and debris, tripping once, getting back up, running faster.
She threw herself into him—arms around his chest, sobbing into his shoulder.
Leo smiled, gently resting his hand on her head.
"It's over, Lia… You're safe now."
She cried harder, but it was relief.
Then—
Lyra, Niya, and Lili appeared, rushing toward him.
They didn't say a word. They simply collapsed into him—hugging, holding, weeping.
Leo held them all.
He didn't cry.
But his smile was… peaceful.
Relieved.
The teleportation light faded as Sara, Zack, Sheron, Balzock, and the rest of the rebels arrived.
They stood in awe of the destruction—but they understood.
The tyrant was gone.
Kael, the false hero, was no more.
One by one, they began to cheer. Some cried. Others laughed. Embracing, collapsing from the tension of survival.
Sheron, normally serious, was laughing uncontrollably.
Balzock threw his hands up and shouted with joy.
"We did it! That monster's dead!"
Sheron laughed.
"You're acting like a kid—"
"I am a kid! A hundred-year-old one!" Balzock roared, spinning him around like a doll.
Sara and Zack stood nearby.
For the first time in years, they smiled without fear.
They held each other close. No words were needed.
He looked up at the sky.
His journey wasn't over.
But for now—
He had saved the people he loved.
He had ended a false god's legacy.
He had won.
"It's finally over."
As the fire crackled gently and the night wrapped the camp in stillness, a sudden shuffle of steps echoed through the trees. Leo looked up sharply.
From the shadows emerged Balzock, limping heavily with his arm slung over Zack's shoulder for support. Blood-stained bandages were wrapped tightly around his torso and arm. His face was pale, but his eyes burned with determination.
"Balzock?!" Leo stood up carefully, not to wake Lia. "Why are you here? You're way too injured. You should be resting!"
Balzock chuckled hoarsely. "Mr. Leo… I don't have much time left anyway," he said with a tired smile. "So I thought, while I still can, I should help you... one last time. You're the chief of our rebel group now, after all. And I'm... getting retired."
Leo blinked, stunned. "What? Retired? Why now?"
Balzock gave a weak shrug as Zack helped him sit on the log beside Lili. Zack sat beside him, concern in his eyes.
"I'm old, kid. My bones have done their part. The rest of the group already agrees. They respect you. Hell, most of them follow you more than me now," Balzock said with a small chuckle. "Anyway, looks like you're dealing with something."
Leo let out a slow breath and nodded. "Yeah… something big. After I defeated Kael, the capital's gone. Just… wiped out. I told the people they could return to wherever they came from if they had homes elsewhere, but only fifteen or sixteen families did. Most of them… they've got nothing. No land. No roof. Just rubble and memories."
He looked down at the sleeping Lia on his lap.
"There are still more than 850 people. I can't abandon them. But I don't know this land well enough to find them a new place. I don't even know who owns what anymore."
There was a brief silence before Balzock broke into a knowing grin.
Leo glanced at him, confused. "What?"
"I might be an old fool, but I've lived longer than any of you kids. I know this land better than anyone alive," Balzock said with pride. "I can help you find a place. Somewhere safe. Hidden. Maybe even fertile."
Leo's expression shifted from weary to hopeful. "You… you really can?"
Balzock nodded. "I can't swing a sword anymore. But I can guide. I can lead you to lands the nobles forgot. Places that still breathe. Places that can be reborn."
Leo stood quietly for a moment, absorbing his words. Then, gently laying Lia beside Lili to rest, he walked up and placed a hand on Balzock's shoulder.
"Then let's do it, old man. One last journey together."
Balzock smiled wider. "Heh. I thought you'd say that."
Leo gently shifted Lia again, making sure she stayed warm under her blanket, then sat back down on the log beside Balzock. The old warrior coughed slightly, wiping a bit of blood from his lips before raising a hand.
"Alright, listen carefully, kid. This land might look ruined now, but the world around it is still very much alive."
Balzock extended his arm and pointed to the charred horizon where the ruins of the once-mighty capital loomed.
"See that? That's the direction where the royal castle used to stand."
Leo nodded. "That's north, right?"
"Exactly," Balzock said. Then, he turned and pointed in the opposite direction. ''That's south. Keep that locked in your head."
He then gestured toward Leo's. "That way is west."
And finally, he tapped his chest and then pointed behind himself. "Which means this way—my direction—is east. Got it?"
Leo gave a firm nod. "Yeah. North, south, west, and east. I'm following."
"Good." Balzock adjusted himself with a grunt, then began explaining with more weight in his voice.
"To the north, beyond the mountain range, lies the Empire of Rustalia. A strong human-led empire, military-focused, strict, and proud. Not all of them are bad, but... their nobles are no better than what we just fought here."
He turned to point south.
"To the south, across the divine river and through the valley, lies the Holy Empire of Luminael. Ruled by a priest-queen. They think they're above everyone because they 'speak for the gods.' Dangerous types, especially to people like you."
Leo stayed silent, absorbing everything.
Balzock then pointed west, the direction Leo's back had been facing. "That's the Elven Empire of Azashia. Beautiful land, untouched forests, and strict borders. Not easy to enter. But they protect their own fiercely.
Finally, Balzock placed his hand over his heart and motioned behind him. "And to the east, deep past the shattered cliffs and the mining valleys, lies the Dwarven Empire of Syphelest. Tough folk. Cold lands. But they value hard work and honor. If we're looking for land… they aren't our good choice beacuse of recent conflicts.''
Leo stared into the fire, thoughtful. "So… four great powers surrounding us. No easy way forward."
"Exactly," Balzock said. "Each empire has its dangers, but also its chances. You'll have to choose carefully who to trust. And maybe… where to rebuild."
Leo looked at Balzock. "Thanks, old man. That helped more than you know."
Balzock gave him a tired grin. "You've got a good head, Leo. Don't waste it."
Balzock coughed again, his breath heavy. "So, Leo… where are you gonna go now?"
Leo paused, looking into the fire, his expression unreadable. The flickering flames reflected in his eyes as silence settled over the group.
"…Nowhere."
Lili blinked. "Huh? What do you mean, nowhere?" she asked, confused.
Zack leaned forward, tense. "You're not taking us to one of the empires?"
Leo looked at them all seriously, then turned to Balzock. "Hey, Balzock… is it possible for us to create our own empire?"
Balzock raised his eyebrows, caught off guard. He fell silent, thinking for a moment before replying. "Making an empire… that's no small thing, kid. You'd need recognition from the surrounding nations, a working system, protection, alliances… and more. Why would you want to try something that crazy?"
Leo stood up and gently placed his hand on the scorched soil beneath them.
"Because I don't trust the other empires. I don't want to beg for a place we'll never be accepted in. We have over 850 people with nowhere to go, most of them broken, abandoned. If we go somewhere else, we risk being used… or worse. But here—this land, even if it's scarred—it's ours now. If we start from a village and slowly grow… we'll build something real."
Balzock gave a slow nod. "You're right. It's not impossible. But where would you start? This place?" he asked, gesturing to the ruined capital.
Leo shook his head. "No. Not here exactly." He looked around, thoughtful. "Is this the center of the land?"
Balzock chuckled. "Sharp eyes, kid. No, this isn't the center. Remember the northern side? Behind the ruined castle, there's that small forest… then the desert mountains."
Leo nodded. "Yeah, I landed there during the fight with Kael."
"Exactly," Balzock said. "Beyond those desert mountains, there's a vast forest. Old, untouched. That forest's edge is roughly the center of this territory."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Then why was the capital built here instead of there?"
Balzock's face darkened a little. "From what I know… this capital was only built about 150 to 170 years ago. Every king after the first one just wanted wealth, influence, and easier access to trade routes. They didn't care about balance or future. The only one who did was the first king."
Leo's gaze fell to the ground, quiet. "I wish the first king had lived forever."
After a beat, Leo stood up suddenly, his eyes sharp and focused. "I have a plan."
Lili looked up. "What kind of plan?"
Leo turned to her. "Lili, I need you to teleport everyone to that forest—the one past the desert mountains."
Lili tilted her head. "That far? I can do it, but… what are you planning?"
Leo smiled faintly. "Just watch. But don't teleport everyone at once. First, take them to the northern side—past the ruins—at the base of the desert mountains. From there, guide them across safely, then teleport them into the forest's edge."
Lili nodded slowly. "Understood… I'll protect them."
Leo placed a hand on Lia's sleeping head. "Take care of her especially."
Balzock watched the exchange, smiling through his fatigue. "Hah… I don't know what this boy's thinking, but damn if it doesn't make me feel alive again."
Zack chuckled softly. "Feels like something big's starting."
Leo didn't look back as he stared into the night sky, stars reflecting in his eyes.
"I'm not building an empire for power," he whispered. "I'm building it so no one ever feels powerless again."