Chapter 165: Athena Hellness

"Apparently, an uninvited guest has broken in..."

Upon hearing this, Leon was startled and gave Liliana a curious glance.

"Someone broke in? Who could it be?" he asked, his tone a mixture of confusion and slight disbelief.

It's worth noting that the illusory barrier magic Liliana had cast earlier was ancient-level magic. Not only did it deter attempts to spy through the barrier, but it also served as an exceptionally robust and formidable defense.

Even when contemplating his own abilities, before being exposed to the devouring poison and assisted by the Holy Sword of Zenith, he wasn't certain whether he could dismantle the ancient magical barrier created by Liliana.

So, who might be responsible for the powerful explosion and the attempt to breach Liliana's ancient magic barrier?

Leon's frown deepened as thoughts of the hidden races inevitably crossed his mind, instantly putting him on edge.

If it were indeed the hidden races, he couldn't afford to act rashly, and he needed to be prepared for the possibility of battle.

After all, despite the 7,000-year plan between Demon Emperor Amon Crimson and the First Hero of Mankind, Luminus Troya, he couldn't fully trust them.

Just as Leon began to speculate on the identity of the intruder and prepared to engage in battle, Liliana's voice suddenly cut through the tension.

"That's Athena Hellness, the Dragon Empress of the Dragon Empire."

As soon as Leon heard her words, his expression of confusion shattered, replaced by fear.

"L-Liliana? What did you just say? Who broke in?" Leon asked, his voice stammering.

Liliana looked at him with a puzzled expression, not understanding why Leon looked pale. Yet, she didn't dwell on it much and replied in a nonchalant tone, "The one who broke in and tried to destroy my magic barrier is Athena Hellness, the Dragon Empress of the Dragon Empire."

Liliana paused for a moment, her expression gradually turning cold as she continued, "I don't understand why she came here, but perhaps she saw the purplish-black power you were emitting earlier and wanted to check it out."

As the Demon Emperor and the most powerful figure in the world, there were only a few individuals who could rival her, including the three heroes of mankind (including Leon) and the Dragon Empress of the Dragon Empire, Athena Hellness.

Athena Hellness, the strongest dragon in the world, possessed formidable strength; even she should not underestimate it.

Thus, Liliana felt somewhat wary as she sensed the sudden, majestic aura of Athena's presence, attempting to dismantle the magic barrier she had created.

While Liliana pondered how to confront Athena's unexpected appearance, Leon stood frozen, his handsome face pale with each passing moment.

"Athena Hellness..." Leon muttered under his breath, his heart racing with fear. Then, with a curse, he exclaimed inwardly, "F***! How could I possibly encounter her again!?"

Cold sweat trickled down Leon's forehead and back as he recalled the image of the beautiful red-haired woman with a loose red robe and a fiery crown above her head.

If there was anyone in this world who could send shivers down his spine, it was undeniably Athena Hellness.

She was the source of his nightmares during his diplomatic visit to the Dragon Empire as a representative of the Holy Empire of Elysium.

As a hero of mankind and a diplomat of the Holy Empire of Elysium, he should have been received as an honored guest. However, instead of extending courtesy, Athena Hellness, that woman, sought to rape him!

Fortunately, at that time, he had acquired the Holy Sword of Zenith, enabling him to engage her in combat as an equal for a while before eventually managing to escape her empire territory.

Now, with this woman attempting to reemerge in his presence, he was naturally determined not to let her succeed!

Leon swiftly emerged from his reverie, his calm facade masking his concern as he gently grasped Liliana's hand.

"Ahem! Liliana, may I suggest we depart from this place immediately and avoid encountering Athena Helleness?"

Liliana looked at Leon, taken aback by his sudden proposal. Yet, before she could respond, a colossal explosion, resembling an enormous atomic bomb, thundered from the east.

*Boom!*

The explosion jolted Liliana into action, prompting her to swiftly pull Leon behind her.

"We seem to be out of time, Leon," she remarked, her gaze scanning the sky as a red dragon, colossal as a mountain, soared towards them.

Despite its immense size, the dragon's speed was astonishing, almost as if it could tear through space itself!

Seeing the situation unfold, Leon cursed his luck, feeling it wasn't better than sh*t.

"Damn it! If it's come to this, then I have no other choice but to succeed!" Leon muttered to himself with a determined expression, expelling a surge of his chaos power from his body, which swiftly enveloped him.

*Whoosh!*

As the chaos power dissipated, Leon underwent a complete transformation—his black hair turned white like snow, his already pale skin grew even paler, and his golden eyes gradually shifted to sapphire purple.

Liliana, standing before him, was utterly stunned when she turned around and beheld Leon's altered appearance.

While she had previously witnessed Leon in this form from a distance, this was the first time she had seen him undergo such a transformation up close, causing her heart to race and her cheeks to flush red like a tomato.

"Leon... You..." Liliana's mouth opened and closed, unable to find the words to express her astonishment at his new appearance.

However, before she could utter another word, a powerful gust of wind swept over them.

*Whoosh!*

The sudden wind caused Liliana's expression, previously filled with affection for Leon, to turn icy cold.

Without hesitation, she extended her palm, summoning the Eternal Disaster Magic Staff into her grasp.

"Mid-level Magic: Air Barrier!"

Liliana slammed the magic staff onto the ground, summoning a protective barrier of wind around them.

*Whoosh!*

Accompanying the gust of wind, an immense red dragon, resembling a mountain, landed hundreds of meters away. seaʀᴄh thё Novёlƒire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Raising its head proudly, it fixed its gaze on Liliana, who met its stare with unwavering resolve.

The two locked eyes briefly before an enormous, fire-like red light enveloped the dragon's entire form. Simultaneously, a woman's voice, resonating with beauty and majesty, echoed from the dragon: "Liliana Crimson, I did not expect to find you here."