Only I Am A Reader
chapter-399

"Listen up!"

Unlike what his current stage's title implied, Leo wasn't actually Transcendent. He did hold power beyond understanding, but he was yet to have broken the laws of physics. However, that didn't mean he couldn't bend them a little bit.

Just like they could use Telekinetic Energy to suppress their opponent and limit the force they could exude, Transcendents could make things easier for themselves by pushing away the weight that held them back using the very same thing!

"To each and everyone who has a hint of doubt in their mind…"

It was a little bit too unsustainable to call it actual flight, but momentary aerial suspension could be achieved by telekinetically raising up one's own body.

Through the little extra juice left in the Violet Plum Core, Leo was able to shrug gravity for more than just a few seconds as it was usually used in battle, which in turn gave more gravity to his amplified voice.

"...Hear."

As immersed as Leo was in his role, making an example out of a corpse was still too unethical for him to do. However, for the sake of saving a little more blood today, he could only extend the Telekinetic wave to Geochin's head, propping it for everyone's eyes.

"The Leader that you all have faithfully believed in is dead, so it's about time that this farce comes to an end."

Despite the intense battle that was still ongoing, almost everyone couldn't help pausing to stare at the lifeless face that was once a symbol of something significant.

Considering everything that its owner had once achieved, it didn't seem at all impossible that its lips would move to retort Leo's declaration. Unfortunately, that was merely a figment of a brainwashed imagination.

There was nothing but an odd silence that didn't suit this great scene!

"Regardless of his death, what you all tried to achieve would have become nothing more than a measly revolution, a hasty and crude transfer of power."

Since Geochin had created the Liberation Army through the power of suggestion coupled with collective consciousness manipulation, Leo planned to disband through a similar method.

"A true reform would have required someone to properly lay down the seeds, an actual foundation, and wait for it to germinate while patiently watering and tending to it until it achieves the desired outcome."

Leo was debunking Geochin's unrealistic ambitions!

"This… The Murim League's leader couldn't see that, no- He simply couldn't do it, not in the state of mind that he was in."

The voice in Leo's head had a lot to say, but hearing what would be immediately recorded in the Personal Book was far less important than delicately handling the situation.

In fact, he could just directly leave now that he had achieved the Main Quest's objective. However, the semi-perfectionist Leo would suffer if he left this sticky situation as it is. He especially couldn't leave before…

"To slowly root away what makes our Murim such a toxic environment isn't only impossible for someone with such a personal attachment to the issue, but also undeniably difficult to achieve without being almost completely selfless."

Anyway, reality dictated that change was possible no matter how negligent its chances were. What the protagonist dreamed of wasn't unattainable, it was just that it demanded too much from its executor.

Time, selflessness, sacrifice… the countless traits and resources required weren't something that Geochin possessed.

"Unfortunately, none of the people who stand on this battlefield today seem to have the qualifications to pursue that goal, at least at this moment in time. Who am I to say what anyone here could achieve in the future? Perhaps someone could take the right steps?"

Whether it was this mishmash troop that tried to brute force that development or the Heavenly Strength Society's members who only cared about their corner of the world, the idealistic reform was far out of anyone's reach…

"Until then, however, it would be better if no further blood is wasted as a result of this botched attempt. So, if any of you have come to their senses to realize that this was an absolute failure, you can run away from all of this."

Making the Liberation Army realize that everything had come tumbling down wasn't hard when you had the head of the person that every fighter had grown forcefully dependent on.

"As long as you leave our territory right now, our Heavenly Strength Society will not chase those who flee. You have my word."

The miracle creator was no longer here, the fake skeleton that held the body together was broken apart!

"And mine as well."

And now they had the chance to walk away from all of this! It wasn't just the newly risen Pillar that was proposing that, the new Leader of the Heavenly Strength Society had spoken to back him up as well.

'Still…'

It was enough for everyone to freeze in place, but not enough to receive immediate validation. The Liberation fighters were still a little broken in the head, and the Society's members couldn't make a move now that the Leader herself had offered their enemies this chance.

Even then, there was always an exception. Leo's eyes quickly caught the malicious intent as the Namgung Family's First Elder moved toward Yeon.

Did he not realize that there was nothing that he could do to change the inevitable outcome? Was he delusional enough to believe that he could tip the scale by removing Yeon and coming out unscathed?

Or was his belief in Geochin's dream so strong that he didn't mind dying and taking Yeon with him to give the rest of the Liberation Army a chance?

'Good.'

Leo had no idea what was going on in Namgung Hyun's head that made him so suicidal, but he knew one thing.

This was the last piece of the puzzle needed to disentangle this dilemma without going for total annihilation, a target to make an impactful example of!

In any case, he totally deserved that by gunning for none other than Yeon!

"I see that someone has already forfeited his chance."

Without further ado, Leo's speech came to a halt as he pounced on Namgung Hyun. The White Tiger was already sheathed after drinking the protagonist's blood, so it was the Silver Dragon's turn.

"Out of my way!"

Namgung Hyun was undoubtedly persistent, but Leo was even more so. While he was a newbie Transcendent facing a veteran one, the fact that he didn't have to face unreasonable things like plot armor and cheats once again was more than enough to make this fight ten times easier!

Leo's very own Black Dragon's Transformations bloomed, showing its complete form and pushing back his opponent even when lacking the energy reserves to excessively pressure him.

A battle between individual Transcendents usually lasted hours if not days. This time, however, it only felt that way due to the tension in the atmosphere.

As the sky quaked behind the dark clouds, a large hole opened up in place of Namgung Hyun's heart within a matter of minutes that even Leo was slightly surprised by how quick he was.

"N-"

To make things even more confusing, his vision grew distorted all of the sudden, replacing the flat plains with a rather distant yet still familiar sight…

Something wasn't right!