Chapter 170 Resolve



"Calm down...? Calm down...? How can I calm down, Mako!? I am not as strong as you! I am not as brave as you! I have been reminded time and time again about my own weakness, and now... now... NOW I SOMEHOW HAVE TO FACE THE 4TH WAVE ALL ON MY OWN!" Leon shouted as he completely broke down in front of Mako.

He wasn't able to stop his tears anymore as he started completely bawling right in front of Mako.

"I was too cocky! Since I only ever fought low levels with no skill, I thought I was some genius who could defeat anyone, but then you came along. You defeated me fair and square not once but twice. You made me realize that there were far more strong and superior people than me!" Leon said as he didn't hold back anymore.

"Leon y..." Mako tried to say something but was completely cut off.

With his emotions let loose and his reasoning out the window, Leon threw out everything that he kept locked in his heart for so long.

"I only saw you as some hotshot who got lucky. I didn't have the guts to admit that I had lost to you and it was because of my own foolishness, and overconfidence, and now it is too late! I never trained seriously, I never worked hard like you guys, and everything was always handed down to me by HIM." Leon cried.

"Even though we weren't on speaking terms, he made sure that I got everything I ever wanted in life. Even after everything that happened, he only wanted the best for me and I only took advantage of that. I never tried to get strong and now that I have finally realized it there is no time to make amends, I won't be able to fight the next wave, I'm useless!" Leon shouted once again.

"LEON!" Mako shouted at the top of his lungs while grabbing Leon's shoulder and shaking him violently to finally stop him from babbling on and on.

Mako's voice was so loud and sudden that it finally made Leon stop and come to his senses for a bit.

"GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!" Mako shouted.

Leon finally stopped his wailing and finally composed himself a bit and quietened down. Mako's arms were pulsing with pain after he used them to shake Leon, but he choose to ignore it as he addressed Leon first and foremost.

"You are right... It is your fault that you didn't train and try to improve yourself. It is entirely your fault to think that this test would be cake walk where millions of people apply worldwide and even then only a few thousand are enrolled each year." Mako said.

Leon looked at him with fearful eyes as he couldn't believe that even the person whom he had opened up to didn't take his side and was also scolding him.

"Did you know that within the deal your father and I made, I and Bill were tasked to look after you and protect you during this recruitment test? You can't blame your father as all he ever wanted was to have the last of his family and his only heir safe, and for that, he was ready to go to any length needed. It was your decision to stay distant from your father, if you had remained close to him, he would have made you strong, stronger than any of us here." Mako continued in the same serious tone to make sure Leon listened.

Every word that Mako uttered from his mouth was fuel for Leon's wild emotions. His heartbeat was shooting through the roof with the feeling of betrayal being the most potent. He couldn't believe that out of everyone Mako would be saying this to him, but in the end, deep down, he knew what he was saying was right.

He closed his eyes as he couldn't bear to see Mako's face as he said those words to him.

"But... that doesn't mean you aren't strong." Mako's said as his voice shifted from strict to very polite and soft.

Leon suddenly opened his eyes as he heard Mako's sudden change in tone, unable to understand what this meant.

"If you seriously believe that you have no talent just because you didn't train or work hard like us, even after fighting me on equal terms a week ago then we all must be utter trash. You fought against me and forced me into a corner and made me use every single skill I knew just to defeat, and since then you have grown just as much as I have." Mako continued in his polite tone.

Leon was even more shocked and amazed at Mako's words now than he was before. New emotions started to rise in his heart and at a very fast rate, completely overwhelming his previous emotions.

"You are strong, Leon. Your insecurities have just made you doubt yourself. Up until now, every single one of us viewed you as an equal and would entrust our lives in your hands without a second thought because that is what friends are for, but now you have broken that trust by giving in to your fear." Mako said making Leon realize his fatal error.

"Friends..." Leon repeated after Mako.

'I never had any friends, everyone only viewed me as someone to stay away from or someone to take advantage of. I never knew what it was like to put blind trust in anyone. All this time, these guys had been putting their faith in me but I never put mine in theirs. I still fought for my own survival.' Leon thought to himself as he made a shocking realization.

"Right now, Erin will try and face the 4th wave all on her own, do you think she can do it all by herself given the state she is in?" Mako asked to which Leon nodded "No".

"Do you think it will improve all of our chances of surviving this if you were to fight alongside her not to mention, I will still try and observe the enemy from within the shelter and provide you with Info if I can." Mako asked again to which after some time of thinking, Leon nodded "Yes".

"Then you have your answer and your decision. Don't forget, you were going to face your father after this. Do you really think you can face him if you can't even deal with a single beast wave?" Mako said.

Leon felt a wave of embarrassment as Mako said those words reminding him of his overall goal. He was indeed going to face his father after all this was set and done but he also knew that his father would also most likely receive a report of the whole test by the military through his connections. He asked himself whether he would truly be able to see eye to eye with his father after he knew that his son was a coward.

Just the sheer thought of such a scenario playing out lit Leon's heart with fire and determination.

NO!

He couldn't afford to miss the last chance to make amends with his father and fix his relationship. He had to do his very best if he ever wanted to learn the entire truth about what happened to his mother and become the son his father always wanted him to be.

Leon stood up with determination. There wasn't a spec of fear or uncertainty on his face anymore as he regained his purpose, his drive to fight.

"Thank you, Mako! You really opened my eyes to the bigger picture. You were right, I never did trust you guys with my life because I never had someone to that with." Leon said to Mako who was still laying on the ground.

Mako was staring up at Leon from the ground in complete shock and amazement.

'Wow! I can't believe grandmother's techniques were so effective. He has become a completely different person.' Mako thought as he watched determination pour out of Leon.

Mako had used the same pep talk technique that her grandmother used on him.

Whenever he would seem down or undetermined to continue on with the life he was living, his grandmother would always reenergize his determination by first scolding him to the point that he wouldn't stop crying about the thing that Mako was afraid to do, but then switch to her calm and peaceful demeanor to remind him of all that he had accomplished so far and what his goals were that he aimed to achieve.

He also believed that she incorporated her Love ability to elevate the effects of her pep talk but even though he didn't have the ability, Leon was showing similar results to young Mako.

"But now... I am ready to call you all my friends and put my trust in you all as well. Even though I don't have all my energy, I will fight alongside Erin and make sure that no beast gets to our shelter!" Leon announced.

A smile appeared on Mako's face after he heard Leon's resolve and was happy that he was able to help him find his way again just like his grandmother did for him.

Mako's muscles were still twitching with pain from moving so much. There wasn't much that could be done about them as Healing pills only healed physical injuries and Iris was in a condition to help him out either.

Leon gently picked Mako up and helped him lean against the wall again before moving to exit the shelter and help Erin.

However, just as Leon helped Mako lean against the wall again, Mako grabbed Leon's hand. Leon didn't know what this meant and looking at Mako's face, he saw a weak and struggling smile.

"You know I am not so sure about this, but I may have a solution to your energy problem." Mako said on the brink of collapsing from the amount of pain he was enduring.