Leon's rage surged, and suddenly the entire cave began to tremble. "How could they... how could they do something so vile?" he whispered, the stone walls cracking under the sheer pressure of his aura.
The kidnappers came running toward the source of the vibration. There were three of them, each an S-Rank adventurer, their faces twisted with a mix of confusion and malice.
"Someone found our hideout? How is that possible? We were so cautious!" one of them hissed.
"It doesn't matter," another replied, his eyes gleaming with a dark light. "We'll kill them and use their parts for the merging."
"Then it's decided," the last one added. He stepped forward and stretched his hand out, a ball of flames manifesting in his palm. But before he could even launch the attack, the fire simply vanished into thin air.
To the horror of his teammates, the man suddenly stood headless. Draken was already behind them, casually holding the decapitated head in his obsidian grip. The other two panicked; they hadn't even perceived Draken's movement. Desperate, one of the survivors quickly cast a high-level barrier around the dragon.
"I've got you now!" he shouted with a triumphant smile. But before he could even blink, Draken moved with such velocity that he shattered the shield like glass, using his long claws to stab the man through the heart.
What kind of monster is this? the last bandit thought to himself. He fell to the ground, pleading for his life as he crawled backward in terror. Draken walked slowly toward him, his expression unreadable and cold.
"You've committed an atrocity. My Master is pissed and broken by it, and so you must pay for your crimes..." Draken said.
Meanwhile, Leon continued to stare at the tubes, his rage and shock still overwhelming him. Sensing his end was near, the last bandit screamed, "If I have to die, then I'll unleash hell on everything! Awaken, the Unkind!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the mutants inside the tubes awakened, shattering the glass in a chaotic explosion of liquid and shards. They launched themselves toward Leon and Draken with animalistic fury. Draken lunged forward to go for the kill, but he was suddenly stopped by Leon's voice.
"Don't kill them! Leave them to me. And don't let that fool live," Leon commanded coldly.
Draken immediately veered off, chasing after the fleeing bandit, leaving Leon alone with the approaching monsters. As the hybrids launched themselves at him, Leon's hair and eyes began to glow with a blinding celestial light. He stretched his hands forward.
"Undo," Leon whispered.
The whisper sent a massive wave of energy rippling through the cave. The moment the light touched the "Unkind," the wave began rewriting their mutated DNA, stripping away the beastly grafts and restoring their original human forms. One by one, the monsters transformed back into children and villagers, falling unconscious and exhausted onto the floor.
"Whoever is in charge of this diabolical organization... must fall," Leon muttered, his voice echoing with the weight of a death sentence.
Near the cave entrance, Draken easily caught up to the last member of the group. He blocked the exit, his shadow looming large over the terrified man.
"Where do you think you're going?" Draken asked, his voice a low, terrifying growl.
The bandit knew it was over, but he wasn't going to let them extract any information from him. He erupted in manic laughter as he muttered, "The Great One... the masterpiece of creation... I will serve until the very end!"
Suddenly, he exploded from the inside out. Every member of the shady organization had a biological implant within them—a fail-safe that triggered a self-destruct sequence the moment they uttered the phrase "The Great One." It was a ruthless method to ensure that no member could betray the organization's secrets if they were captured.
"How cowardly," Draken remarked, turning to head back into the lab. He was suddenly stopped when he saw Leon emerging with the children. They were no longer the horrific human-monster hybrids he had seen moments ago; they were fully human again.
Draken immediately bowed, sensing the divine pressure radiating from his Master, whose hair and eyes still shimmered with celestial light as he carried the children out. Draken was deeply impressed by Leon's ability to reverse such a grotesque level of mutation, but he had stayed with Leon long enough to know that his Master's power was truly limitless.
As soon as they were clear of the cave, Leon set the children down gently. He looked back at the entrance with a mixture of cold rage and disgust.
"Places like this shouldn't exist," Leon said, pointing a single finger toward the mountain. A small, concentrated white sphere of energy appeared at his fingertip, which he then flicked toward the hidden facility.
What followed was total obliteration. There was no fire, no rubble, and no debris. The entirety of the cave and everything within it was simply wiped out, leaving nothing but a fine dust on the ground where a mountain had once stood.
With the threat erased, Leon's rage finally subsided. They placed all the children into the carriage that had been used to transport Draken and began the drive back to the village.
When they arrived and the people saw their children safe and whole, the village erupted in tears of joy. The rest of the day was filled with a grand celebration. They threw a massive feast for Leon, their gratitude so overwhelming that they completely forgot the suspicious questions they had intended to ask about his powers.
Once the children were treated and safe, Leon and Draken headed back to the Diamond Kingdom. However, the news of the "Miracle at the Village" and the rumors of a white-haired savior were spreading far faster than they could travel.
As soon as he reached the Diamond Kingdom, Leon went straight to the Guild to submit the completion of his request. To his surprise, he found that he and Draken had already become famous throughout the town.
A massive crowd of adventurers swarmed them; some were desperate for the full details of the mission, while others wanted to confirm if the incredible rumors were actually true. The crowd was overwhelming, and Leon realized in that instant that his quiet life was officially over. Suddenly, a voice echoed through the hall, cutting through the noise. It was the Guild Master, and he had a specific message for Leon.
"That would be enough! I need order here," the Guild Master commanded, effectively silencing the room. "Anyway... the man in white, can I see you for a moment?"
The crowd soon dispersed, leaving Leon alone to follow the man to his private office. Once they were seated, the Guild Master began.
"I am Guild Master Chen. It is a pleasure to finally meet the 'White Hero.' Your fame has spread through the entire kingdom; you truly are an impressive young man."
"Thank you for the praise," Leon replied modestly. "It's my pleasure to help however I can."
The Guild Master laughed heartily. "You are a humble young man, sir. I am pleased to let you know that you have been granted an audience with the King, and he intends to award you himself," Chen explained.
"Really? It's not a big deal; I'm perfectly fine without it," Leon countered, trying to find a way out.
"You are truly kind... but you cannot refuse a direct request from the King, you know," Chen added with a knowing smile.
Leon paused for a while. He had always wanted a quiet life, and meeting with the King would totally ruin his anonymity. His days of peace were obviously over, and there was nothing he could do now to stop the momentum of his own actions.
"Alright... I'll see the King," Leon finally replied.
"Excellent!" Chen said, pulling a sealed envelope from his drawer. "Take this; it's a pass from the King. With it, you will be taken straight to the royal presence," Chen added, handing the letter to Leon.
Leon took the letter and headed out. He was about to step fully into the light, and while he knew the cost of fame, he wasn't certain he was ready to pay it.
"Argh... well, let's see how this goes. Maybe—just maybe—it might work out," Leon sighed, heading for the palace with Draken on his shoulder, who had returned to his form as a harmless little monster.