The atmosphere froze, and those who had managed to come over in time to watch found their chests constricted.
However, at that moment, Leonel blinked, his head turning toward Aina.
"I feel like I just got transported into some low budget martial arts movie, is it just me?"
Aina, whose expression had turned somewhat serious, couldn't help but falter. Her soft lips rolled over themselves as she tried to hold back her laughter.
Leonel was a fan of cool uniforms, but this was too much. In fact, it bordered on tacky and even crossed over the line somewhat.
Half closed eyes, arrogant expression, cold aura, and those pure white robes? Leonel almost wanted to gag. Cool uniforms were fine, but how could you go out in public like this?
"I'm pretty sure this is how everyone from the Unfettered Blade Party dresses," Aina said lightly, trying to stay serious.
"All of them? Did no one tell them that they look ridiculous?"
Aina couldn't seem to take it anymore, an adorable snort leaving her nose completely out of her control. She couldn't maintain her serious expression anymore even if she wanted to. In the end, she doubled over in laughter, hitting Leonel's arm.
Those that were spectating couldn't help but put on weird expressions before their eyes landed on the white robed youth. No one had ever really spoken about it before, but these robes really were a bit too tacky. Unlike the official Void Palace robes with had a bit of modern flare to them, the Unfettered Blade Party official uniform hadn't changed in generations.
It looked like it was centuries too old.
That much would have still been fine if it wasn't for the arrogant and high nosed attitudes of the young man and women that wore it. It really looked like all of them were trying to become the main characters of their own stories.
When no one really thought about it, it was still acceptable. But, after Leonel mentioned it with such flare and genuineness, it felt like the Unfettered Blade Party had suddenly become a bunch of children playing superhero in their parents' living rooms.
"If I ever design a uniform that bad, please let me know in advance. I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror if I found out too late."
Leonel's fascination with cool uniforms of course meant that he had every intention of designing his own in the future. How could he not make sure that his armies were in good form?
"Alright, alright—that's enough!" Aina wheezed, pushing Leonel away.
Aina knew well that Leonel had done this on purpose. With how well Leonel understood people, if what he wanted to do was de-escalate the situation, he would have taken a much different approach. Clearly, though, he was provoking this young man and he didn't seem to care that he was slapping the faces of the Unfettered Blade Party at the same time.
The young man stood unmoved, but it was clear by the sound of swords in the air that his mood had shifted. From a cold indifference, there was an added forcefulness to his aura.
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He didn't speak a word, he didn't waste time on pleasantries, he didn't even seem to take a breath or a gather step.
In one moment, he was a sheathed sword and in the next, he had unleashed it, a blinding light tearing through the spear and appearing before Leonel in the blink of an eye. It was clear that he had every intention to kill. There was no need to say anything.
However, just when the blinding light was about to enter a five-meter radius of Leonel, something astonishing happened.
CLANG! BANG!
Leonel didn't even bother to take a single step, nor did he flinch in the face of the Sword Force, he didn't even seem to make an effort. Much like the young man, his hands didn't move and his expressions were unmoved.
But, what was shocking was the fact that Leonel's Fifth Dimensional Spear Force countered what was clearly Sixth Dimensional Sword Force without much difficulty at all.
Leonel watched indifferently as the Spear and Sword Force wrapped around one another before spiraling out of control and shattering into motes of white and gold light.
"If the goal is to kill me, they probably should have sent someone stronger. Your blade isn't cold enough and your sword isn't sharp enough."
Something about Leonel's words was decidedly sharp. The words echoed through their ears, stirring something deep within them, even without understanding how they subconsciously felt that he was speaking the truth.
Whether by coincidence or something else, the youth's Sword Force seemed to dim and weaken, even the sounds of sharpening blades dulling by a measure and slowing down in frequency.
The eyes of the young man seemed to finally 'see' Leonel for the first time. Someone in the Fifth Dimensional had blocked an attack from him? Was something like this even possible? He couldn't even fathom how such a thing was possible.
Even if the strike was casual, even if he didn't draw his blade or activate his God Runes, this was ridiculous.
"I see." The youth said lightly. "I guess it makes sense, anyone who could make it here wouldn't just simply allow themselves to be killed. But, that much is fine, killing you and taking revenge for my uncle's arm will be worth it.
"The arm of a Suiard in exchange for the head of a Morales. This is a worthy start until the day I take the head of Velasko myself.
"My name is Micrath. I leave this name not for you, but so that others will understand in the future that the Suiard name is not one you can casually disregard as you please, no matter who you are."
The words were sharp, venomous, and clearly filled with disregard.
Leonel, however, who had just been planning on casually playing around for a while and forcing this person into a trap before revealing his true intentions, suddenly paused.
The amusement in his eyes faded, his expression not quite becoming cold, but something beyond that instead. It was difficult to explain, but it was the kind of expression one would know when one saw it… The kind of a mortal looking down on an ant, an Emperor looking down on a subject, a God looking down on a servant.
Take the head of his father? Was he even able to take his own head?
Leonel didn't say a word, he only took a step and vanished from sight. When he reappeared again, the clanging of chains sung through the darkness.