CHAPTER 55: EX 55. SIDE QUEST.

Leon’s footsteps slowed for a brief moment as his eyes widened.

A voice—not his own—had just spoken inside his head.

A voice filled with calm authority and undeniable strength.

[Cadet Leon, do you hear me?]

Leon’s breath caught in his throat. Despite still feeling the tremors and thunderclaps from Rebecca Sky’s ongoing battle with the demon above, she was somehow able to direct a mental message to him.

That meant one thing.

She wasn’t just holding her own...

She was in control.

Still, the demon was nowhere near dead. Its aura still clashed violently with Rebecca’s. The battle was anything but over.

Cradling Elizabeth gently in his arms, Leon blinked once and answered aloud.

"Yes, I do."

Elizabeth looked up weakly at him in surprise, while Adrian, standing guard at his side, narrowed his eyes.

They could both tell—Leon wasn’t talking to them.

A second mental message arrived, this one more personal.

[I thought I made a mistake... but it’s good I wasn’t wrong.]

A massive boom echoed in the sky above them—light and shadow clashing in a dazzling explosion.

Then came another mental voice—

But this one wasn’t meant for Leon.

[Fucking cockroach—]

The demon.

Even in its weakened state, it was still resisting and burning with hatred.

Then Rebecca’s voice returned, crystal clear and unwavering.

[Cadet, I don’t know how you’re still alive—but I need your assistance.]

Leon didn’t hesitate. "As long as I can help."

[Good. We need more cadets like you in the Federation.]

Then came the real mission.

[The SECS has been compromised since the demon appeared. I need you to activate the Guardian Override and reestablish connection.]

Leon blinked.

"SECS...?" he muttered, baffled.

Elizabeth, still weak but alert in his arms, looked just as confused.

But before either could ask further, Adrian spoke up.

"That’s the Sentinel Evac Control system."

Leon and Elizabeth turned toward him at the same time.

With the same expression and thought behind their eyes:

"How the hell do you know that?"

Adrian raised an eyebrow, clearly reading their faces.

"What?"

Leon exhaled and shook his head, choosing not to dive into Adrian’s oddly specific military knowledge. They had bigger problems.

"Vanguard Sky," Leon said aloud, "I think the best person to talk to is my friend here."

There was a brief pause—and then her voice came again, this time sharp and focused.

[Understood.]

As the storm continued to rage above, and the demon clashed violently with Rebecca Sky, a new mission had just begun—

One that could determine whether they would all make it out alive.

****

Adrian was in a mental conversation with Vanguard Rebecca, his usual calm presence now carrying an edge of urgency. Beside him, Leon stood quietly, still holding Elizabeth gently in his arms like she was the most precious thing in the world. But even in the midst of chaos, something tugged at his mind.

His Vitality stat.

It was still massively boosted.

He could feel it—his body felt light, powerful, near invincible. But that wasn’t what surprised him. What bothered him was how long it was lasting.

"This... shouldn’t still be active," Leon thought, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Then the realization clicked.

"It must be from the multiplier. it was a full ×10 boost. That must’ve extended the effect too."

He didn’t know how long it would last—but until it wore off, he had a massive edge.

His thoughts were broken when Adrian suddenly spoke.

"I understand. I’ll let them know now."

Leon blinked, pulled out of his trance.

"What’s the problem?"

Adrian glanced at him, then at Elizabeth, and explained in simpler terms that they could both grasp.

"The Vanguard’s asking us to reach the backup override—called the Guardian Override. It’s the switch that reconnects the selection zone’s teleportation systems to the outside."

Leon frowned.

"Why can’t they just reconnect it from the outside?"

Adrian didn’t miss a beat.

"The demon’s appearance disrupted the connector line. From the outside, they can’t fix the interference. The only way to bypass it... is through the emergency backup inside the arena."

Leon paused, digesting that.

He didn’t fully understand the mechanics of it—but if there was something he could do to help, there was no reason to hesitate.

"What do we do now?"

Adrian glanced into the depths of the forest, his expression resolute.

"Follow me. We need to get to the Guardian Override—fast."

Leon nodded.

Turning to Elizabeth, still pale and weakened in his arms, he smiled softly.

"Don’t worry, Lizzie. We’ll get you help soon."

Her fingers clutched his jacket faintly, and she managed a strained, whispering reply.

"Thank you... Leon."

He looked down at her, his eyes calm but fierce.

"Don’t mention it."

And with that, he dashed forward after Adrian, disappearing into the woods—carrying both the weight of the mission and the girl he swore to protect.

****

Adrian dashed through the dense forest with practiced precision, his steps nimble yet forceful as branches whipped past him. His eyes remained sharp, scanning ahead with every leap and pivot. Behind him, Leon followed effortlessly, though his movement was more measured. Cradling Elizabeth gently in his arms, he took care not to jolt her too much.

Despite the burden, Leon’s raw speed was overwhelming.

They raced past startled cadets, some huddled behind trees, others cautiously making their way through the undergrowth. Most froze at the sight of the two—Adrian’s focused charge and Leon’s storm-like presence with a pale girl in his arms. None dared speak.

Even the demonic beasts lurking in the forest didn’t attack.

They watched, hidden in shadows—oppressed and trembling under the bloodline suppression of a true demon. The presence alone had driven them into hiding.

After nearly two minutes of non-stop sprinting, they burst into a clearing—a quiet space untouched by the madness behind them. Adrian came to a sudden halt.

Leon slowed to a stop just behind him.

"Why’d you stop?" he asked, breathing steady despite the run.

Adrian didn’t answer right away. Instead, his eyes swept the ground, his gaze sharp. He took two steps forward, then knelt.

"The entrance to the override should be around here," he muttered.

He began brushing away leaves, twigs, and dirt with quick movements, fingers searching for something hidden. Leon watched closely as Adrian’s hand finally gripped onto something.

"Bingo."

With a quick tug, Adrian yanked open a concealed latch buried beneath the forest floor.

A low mechanical whirr echoed as the ground trembled slightly, and then—a hatch opened outward, old metal creaking from years of disuse. A gust of stale air wafted from the dark space below.

Beneath them... a hidden chamber revealed itself.

...

A/N: Mass release if we get 100 golden tickets or 300 power stones before Saturday