Dimensional Descent

The moment Leonel's barrage began, the atmosphere seemed to shift. 

As though the earth had cracked opened and demons from the depths of Hell were clawing their way forward, a pervading coldness hung in the air, latching onto their veins and making them feel as though their blood was rapidly freezing over. 

A massive illusory hand of crimson shot up from the ground, tearing through the debris like it was nothing but scraps if paper. 

The hand charged for Leonel, causing him to have to cross his spear across his body to block. 

Leonel was sent flying , his body arching through the air for over a hundred meters. 

His internal organs shook, his stomach caving in and his ribs cracking. Blood flew from his lips, his eyes bulging. 

A violent fit of coughs rang out from him, but as though of it mattered, Leonel reoriented himself in the air, landing heavily on his feet so that Aina wouldn't be harmed. 

As he wiped the blood from his lips, the section of ground the mansion once stood upon split under the strength of the hand, making way for a man tainted by blood to make his presence known. 

The Variant Invalid was completely nude, the only coverings of its body being the blood trickling down its skin. 

Its bare feet landed on the ground softly, but even that seemed to resonate with the hearts of all. 

Their minds and bodies seemed to separate from one another. It was an out of body experience that made them feel as though they were third party viewers of their own lives, watching on from a bird's eye view. 

But, rather than being awed by the realization,  most felt their chests gripped by fear. 

This man, dripping of blood... was a nightmare. 

It was only then that the people of Earth suddenly found their minds shooting back into their bodies. A bout of dizziness took hold of them before they realized the sluggishness they had been experiencing completely vanished. 

Jessica's expression changed. 

"Your Highness, my body." 

Noah, who had been completely focused on Leonel, frowned. But, when he turned back to see a sea of pleasantly surprised faces, he couldn't help but be taken aback. 

At first he was confused. But soon, thinking of something, his gaze lit up. 

'Could it be...?' 

All across Earth, Eartherners who had felt as though their bodies were out of their control suddenly began to exhibit their true strength. 

Noah's gaze toward Leonel's back, even as the latter wiped blood from his mouth, turned several levels more complicated. 

There were no fools on this battlefield. They all understood that this was no coincidence. 

Even as the expressions of the people of Terrain turned ugly, the momentum of the people of Earth flipped on its head. 

Noah took a deep breath, the second wind he was looking for suddenly filling up his chest. It didn't take him but a moment to realize that this wasn't just psychological. The healers and buffers of Earth had regained their strength, extending their range of effect by several fold. 

Noah's jaw steeled. He had seen how powerful the strike that just landed on Leonel was. This was the first time in the battle that Leonel had suffered any sort of injury... this battle, they had to win it fast. 

Noah clenched his fists, suddenly roaring into the skies. 

His chest expanded beneath his ability, his throat hardening under the same effects. 

The blood of the warriors of Earth boiled. All this time they felt as though they could do nothing. But, gazing at that back in the distance, they felt as though the cold running through their veins had been replaced by burning lava. 

"Charge!" Noah's voice boomed. 

Within Hargrove City, Leonel wiped the last of the blood from his lips, spitting at the ground to clear his mouth. 

He looked up, his cold gaze locking onto the Puppet Master. His spear's tip gently pressed against the ground, the chains jingling about as they dangled. 

With a single swipe, more than half of his siege crossbows had been destroyed. Beyond that, it took just a single attack to injure him to this state despite the fact his body was forged of Tier 1 Fourth Dimensional metal. 

But, as surprised as Leonel was, the Puppet Master was even more so. Though, considering its inhuman expressions, there was hardly a change. 

The Puppet Master had expected to kill Leonel in a single strike. But, not only had it not, it felt as though it had just punched a steel fortress. In fact, its strength hadn't impacted Aina in the slightest. 

Had Leonel been willing to allow the strike to dissipate naturally, he wouldn't have broken any bones in the slightest. But, he had no intention of allowing Aina to be harmed. 

He would allow her to watch to the end as he buried this Puppet Master to the depths of hell it belonged in. 

  In the distance, Anared slowly picked himself up from the ground, a hint of humiliation coloring his features. 

Even now, Leonel dared to garner himself more enemies when he was right here. 

However, what he didn't know was that Leonel hadn't spoken those words to trick him. He had meant every last syllable. This time, he shouldn't dream of escaping. 

Leonel's free hand flipped, causing an Urbe Ore to appear in his hand. Just as quickly as it did, it crumbled to dust, the Essence being absorbed into his body. 

Leonel's cracked ribs mended in the blink of an eye, his body even growing a tick more powerful. 

He let the ash fall between his fingers, watching as they were swept up into the wind. 

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! 

The tip of Leonel's spear, which had just barely graced the ground, suddenly sank into it. As though a hot knife through butter, the lightest touch left a scorching mark across the ground. 

A dense Domain of black chains surged to life around him, its oppressive might reaching palpable levels. 

Leonel gazed at the Puppet Master as though trying to sear its image into his mind. 

"Five minutes." Leonel said plainly. But, it was clear that he wasn't speaking to either one of Anared or the Puppet Master. "Five minutes and I'll wipe him from existence."

Aina's cheek rested on Leonel's back and shoulder.. Hearing such words, she felt as though the erratic beating of her heart was finally slowing.