"You want a fight?" Leon said, his irritation ring as he stepped back and raised his staff. "Fine. You''ll get one."


    Golden energy erupted from Leon''s body, his aura ring brighter than ever. The ground beneath him began to shimmer as if it were turning to liquid gold. His eyes glowed with a metallic sheen, radiating raw power.


    "Let''s see how your dedication matches up to ingenuity," Leon said, his voice calm but edged with determination. "Destruction: Judgment Barrage!"


    Hundreds of glowing golden orbs materialized around Leon, each crackling with immense destructive energy. At hismand, theyunched toward Roman in a relentless, coordinated assault.


    Roman''s eyes deepened as he raised his sword, his aura ring brilliantly, creating a vortex of white and ck energy around him. "You''re not the only one with tricks. Let me show you the art of a million years of dedication!"@@novelbin@@


    The vortex absorbed all the golden orbs, reducing their powers to nothingness without even letting a spck of explosion.


    With a flourish, Roman gripped his sword tightly and muttered, "Voidlight de: Dance of Eternity."


    The ground beneath them cracked as Roman leapt forward with incredible speed, his sword leaving a streak of light and darkness in its wake. His de moved with precision, each sh creating afterimages that made it impossible to discern the real attack from the feints.


    Leon raised a golden barrier just in time, the first strike smashing into it like a tidal wave. The impact echoed across the battlefield, sending shockwaves that uprooted nearby trees.


    Leon retaliated with a quick series of golden beams from his staff, aiming for Roman''s blind spots. Roman spun his de in a perfect arc, deflecting each beam with a metallic ng.


    "Voidlight de: Crescent Divide!"


    Roman''s sword red with energy as he shed horizontally, sending a massive crescent of light and shadow hurtling toward Leon. Leon countered with a Destruction: Golden Bastion, a dome of radiant energy that absorbed the attack, though cracks spiderwebbed across its surface.


    "Impressive swordsmanship," Leon admitted, his staff glowing brighter. "But I haven''t even started yet."


    Roman''s next move came without warning. He vanished and reappeared behind Leon, his sword already mid-swing. Leon barely had time to parry with a summoned golden de, the sh of their weapons sparking a cascade of light and shadow.


    Roman pressed the attack with abination of fluid movements:


    "Voidlight de: Phantom Step" – He vanished and reappeared rapidly, attacking from multiple directions."Voidlight de: Shattering Nova" – A thrust imbued with explosive energy that detonated on contact, forcing Leon to jump back.


    Leon grinned, his irritation now reced with exhration. "You''re good, Roman. But how about we turn up the heat?"


    Leon twirled his staff, summoning golden chains of light from the ground. Theyshed toward Roman, attempting to bind him. Roman countered with a flourish of his sword, cutting through the chains effortlessly.


    "Not enough!" Roman roared, his aura intensifying. He executed a spinning sh, "Voidlight de: Endless Spiral", generating a vortex of destructive energy that expanded outward. Leon jumped into the air, narrowly avoiding the ground-shredding attack.


    Hovering in the air, Leon prepared his next move. His aura red as he raised his staff high. "Let''s end this. Destruction: Sr Judgment Spear!"


    A massive, glowing spear of golden energy formed above him, radiating heat and power. He hurled it toward Roman with tremendous force.


    Roman nted his feet firmly, gripping his sword with both hands. His aura condensed, and his de glowed with an otherworldly light. "Fine! Voidlight de: Zenith sh!"


    He swung his sword in an upward arc, releasing a colossal wave of energy that collided with the golden spear mid-air. The resulting explosion shook the ground, creating a blinding sh of light and a shockwave that rippled across the battlefield. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    As the dust settled, both fighters stood firm, their eyes locked, their auras still burning brightly.


    "You''re not bad," Roman admitted calmly as he sheathed his sword. His posture rxed, but his aura still radiated authority. "What do you want?"


    Leon lowered his staff, his expression shifting to one of sincerity. "First of all, we''re not with that Dark Magus King. So, spare my girlfriend, will you?"


    At his words, Roselia, standing a little behind Leon, blushed furiously. She had expected him to refer to her as his familiar, maybe even hispanion, but girlfriend caught her off guard. Her heart fluttered, and she tried to maintain herposure, though the faint blush on her cheeks betrayed her.


    Roman turned to Roselia, studying her for a moment. She gave him a firm nod, silently vouching for their intentions. Roman crossed his arms. "What else?"


    Leon stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. "Be my partner."


    Roman raised an eyebrow, intrigued yet skeptical. "Partner? What do you mean?"


    "I mean partner, as in ally orrade. Someone who stands with me, not against me," Leon rified. His straightforward tone contrasted with Roman''s skeptical demeanor.


    Roman''s lips twitched, almost forming a smile, but his expression remained guarded. "I have no time to join you on your adventures," he said, turning slightly. His ck and white aura flickered as he gazed into the distance. "My mission is clear. I have to free mydy from the cursed torment that binds her soul."


    "How exactly do you n to do that?" Leon asked, curious.


    Roman nced back at him, his expression softening for the first time. "My sword is mighty, but it cannot sever the curse. However, I''ve heard of a realm. They say once someone reaches the highest level of Sword mastery, they can sever anything, even the strongest bonds. I intend to reach that Sword mastery, use its power, and split the curse from mydy''s soul."


    Leon nodded slowly, absorbing the gravity of Roman''s words. "What if I help you with that?"


    Roman''s eyes narrowed, his ck-and-white pupils glinting with suspicion. "You''d better not give me false hope," he warned, his tone cold but not dismissive.


    Leon smiled faintly, his confidence unwavering. "This isn''t false hope. I have resources, knowledge, and the strength to back it up. If you''ll let me, I can help you free yourdy."


    Roman''s gaze softened again, but his pride held firm. He gestured toward the setting sun.