The mysterious figure stepped forward, his black aura swirling like smoke.
"Well then, time for another entertainment for me. Now you both will fight each other."
With a flick of his hand, he teleported and delivered devastating punches to both Kairo and Leonhart. The blows were so fatal that his fists tore straight through their abdomens.
Kairo gasped in agony but immediately activated his Pain Suppression skill on Leonhart.
Leonhart's eyes widened in shock. He no longer felt any pain, yet he acted as if he did, clutching his wound and staggering dramatically to maintain the illusion.
The mysterious figure's grin widened with twisted delight.
"Woah, no way! This will be even more interesting. It seems like your powers are already awakening. No way — let's do this already. I can't wait for it!"
He threw them both into a barren field. The ground was scorching hot. Kairo and Leonhart's feet burned instantly upon contact. Leonhart screamed in genuine pain, but Kairo's skill seemed to be working perfectly on him — not only suppressing the agony but also slowly healing the wounds.
Kairo, however, received no such relief. His own magic didn't work on himself. The pain was excruciating.
The mysterious figure laughed cruelly.
"So let me tell you something, Leonhart. You will be free, but your friend Kairo — who you met just yesterday and who doesn't even remember your name — will suffer."
Leonhart laughed bitterly through the pain.
"I will be the future duke. I will sacrifice myself even if it saves a single life. I will sacrifice my pathetic life. No amount of pain can bend my ego, my pride. My father's name is Lion Harth — his name contains 'Lion,' so the son of a Lion will be a Lion. And I ain't afraid of you."
The mysterious figure immediately turned and began punching Kairo relentlessly. Blood sprayed from Kairo's mouth with every brutal blow.
"Don't worry, Leonhart," Kairo gasped between strikes, spitting blood. "He is making me tougher. So be it."
Leonhart wanted desperately to help, but he stood frozen, hopeless. He knew the figure wouldn't kill Kairo — and that he would be the next to suffer.
The mysterious figure continued beating Kairo without mercy. Every single bone in Kairo's body broke. His muscles tore unnaturally. Finally, Kairo went unconscious from the overwhelming pain.
The figure straightened up with a satisfied sigh.
"Uhhh, I feel so alive."
He then turned toward Leonhart, grinning.
"Leonhart, you are the lucky one. I can't hurt you as much as Kairo because he signed a contract with me. But I have something more special for you."
He presented a new contract.
"You can read it."
Leonhart took the document with shaking hands and read it. It said: Gain more power, but your friend Kairo — who you met yesterday and who doesn't even remember your name — will suffer. You will gain freedom and unnatural power where the whole world will be on your knees.
Leonhart's expression hardened.
"Sorry. I refuse."
The mysterious figure tilted his head.
"So I will give you a power. It is speed."
"What are you talking about?" Leonhart asked, confused.
The figure suddenly started punching at the speed of light. But Leonhart effortlessly dodged every strike while time seemed to slow down around him.
The figure laughed with delight.
"Leonhart, don't you want this power? Look at it — I can't even touch you. But the only thing you have to follow is just join me. Be an upper rank. You can keep your hands clean — no need to kill anyone. You will be your own boss."
Leonhart smirked coldly.
"My dad once said: if you see a contract and it feels like he is a fool, beware — the one who agrees is the biggest fool."
He flipped the contract over and revealed a hidden page. It read: Be my slave and make me happy for the sake of power.
Time returned to normal.
The mysterious figure clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Uhh, well, I wish I could hurt you and make you sign the contract just like I did to Kairo. But it seems like Kairo is the only exception. Uhhh, forget about it anyway. Just see him suffer. You will only train with him. I can't hurt you — how bad. But that training will break every single part of you. I promise."
He smiled menacingly.
Then, with a wave of his hand, both boys were teleported back to the same cave they had been in before. Kairo was unconscious, his body broken and bloodied.
Leonhart fell to his knees beside him, screaming toward the empty sky.
"My God, please help me! I am just a child! I have no power except You! Please, anyone — save me! I don't follow a religion, but guide me please! I will be faithful to You always!"
His voice cracked with raw desperation as tears streamed down his face. The cave remained silent, but Leonhart's plea echoed into the darkness.
The torment continued.
But in that moment of utter helplessness, a small spark of faith had been kindled in Leonhart's heart — a quiet light that the mysterious figure could not yet extinguish.
Kairo lay motionless beside him, breathing shallowly.
Their suffering was far from over.
Yet neither boy was willing to break.
Not yet.
The mysterious figure had barely faded into the shadows when a soft, radiant light bloomed inside the cage once more.
The angel reappeared, his expression urgent yet calm. He looked directly at Leonhart, wings folded tightly.
"Leonhart, we need to hurry. I will guide you. You can actually escape from this place."
Leonhart's eyes widened, hope flickering across his face for the first time in weeks.
The angel continued, voice steady but serious.
"The problem is that the mysterious forest is filled with demons. I have a trick which will make you go home safely, but listen to me carefully. You are completely safe here for now. The only real threat is that monster who tortures you. So follow me as fast as you can. You are fully recovered, right?"
Leonhart nodded quickly, flexing his hands.
"Yeah… I am."
"Good," the angel said, a faint smile touching his lips. "Now we need to find a flower which will grant you both a temporary increase in strength. That will help you kill him. With my powers and that flower, you can easily defeat him."
Leonhart glanced at the unconscious Kairo lying beside him.
"Do I have to pick him up?"
The angel nodded.
"Yeah. You have to."
Without hesitation, Leonhart bent down and carefully lifted Kairo onto his back. The added weight was nothing compared to the cursed training they had endured. He adjusted his grip and followed the angel as the cage door silently swung open.
They stepped out into the mysterious forest — the very place King Ariston had warned about with such dread.
The trees were twisted and unnaturally dark. The air felt thick, heavy with malice. Almost immediately, Leonhart spotted a creature ahead: pale white skin stretched over a body with four legs bent at impossible angles, moving in a way no living being should be able to walk.
Leonhart froze.
The angel pointed toward the creature.
"There it is. I can't touch it. If I was able to, I would have already. I need your help, Leonhart."
The angel's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Make sure you don't make a single sound. I can talk as much as I want — these things won't hear me — but be careful. I will guide you."
Leonhart gave a silent nod and began walking slowly, every step deliberate and tense.
The angel stayed close, his glowing form providing just enough light to see the path.
"Leonhart, there is only five minutes before he finds out you're gone. I am using magic to hide your presence. What will happen next… will you be able to win, or will you die very badly?"
The forest seemed to close in around them. The pale creature moved unnaturally close, its limbs bending with sickening cracks. Leonhart's heart hammered in his chest as he carried Kairo's unconscious body, sweat dripping down his face.
One wrong move could end everything.
The angel's warning echoed in his mind.
Five minutes.
That was all the time they had.
And the real test was only just beginning.