**Transcendence**

Back in Eldoria it was one in a million. In the undergod territory, one in 900 thousand. The word transcendent had always been special.

And after countless years in this world, Leon had finally reached that stage.

"Hm!!"

Rage filled the transcendent being from Firestone manor as she rose up and blasted at Leon with everything behind her.

Leon saw it coming.

He moved to the side at the last second, cocking his hand back as the wind around him kicked up and turned into a whirlwind.

Then he struck forward.

Boom!!!

The strike rang out with a deafening sound that shook the surrounding air and sent her flying once again.

'Still standing.'

He watched her tumble through the sky before catching herself. His arm stung faintly from the impact, but it wasn't anything that would slow him down.

The difference between a level 4 Great and a transcendent being was the magic well. It created a reserve of energy that could be tapped into at any time and at any degree.

It allowed the output of a transcendent being to go from the strike of a massive cannon all the way up to a city bombardment armament, depending on how much energy they were willing to spend.

In Leon's case, having four sources of energy meant he could continuously replenish his well as long as a battle was ongoing. A reserve of near-unending energy.

'That had to be like 50% of a normal mage's reserves. My arm….'

He flexed his fingers once.

Still fine.

Using all her strength, the transcendent being from Firestone manor managed to stop herself mid-air to assess her situation.

She hovered there for a moment, chest rising and falling.

The appearance of a transcendent being wasn't in her calculations. But he had struck her first, leaving her no room to do anything but respond.

She couldn't back down.

If not, what would be the fate of Firestone manor's face?

'That's twice now.'

Her jaw tightened. She exhaled through her nose and steadied herself, eyes locking back onto him.

The sky between them was quiet for just a second.

Just one.

"What are you waiting for? I'm right here."

While she thought, Leon appeared in the corner of her eye, looking down at her with a look of pride on his face.

He had just broken through.

What he wanted most right now was to test his limits. Find where the ceiling was. See how far the new power stretched. Every exchange told him something and he wasn't done learning yet.

Seeing him appear beside her like that, she readied herself and muttered a spell under her breath.

Her voice was low. Barely audible.

Immediately her body was covered in flames. She rushed at Leon, sending strike after strike, each one trailing fire as it cut through the air between them.

—clang!!

—boom

—woosh

Leon moved through it. Not retreating. Redirecting. His body cut between the strikes like he already knew where each one was going before it arrived.

The echoes of two transcendent beings fighting in the skies above the city instantly drew the attention of everyone in the surrounding area.

Below, the streets erupted.

"My ears, god!!"

"Take cover!!"

"Is the city under attack again?"

People scrambled. Market stalls toppled. Heads craned toward the sky trying to make out what was happening above the rooftops.

In the midst of all the panic, a few individuals went still.

They spread their senses outward, bearing down on the sky to find the two figures.

They found them quick enough.

"At least they were sensible enough to take it to the skies." The voice echoed from somewhere deep inside the city lord's manor.

A pause.

Then a deafening growl.

"You two, take that out of my city before I break your legs!!"

A figure appeared in the sky.

He looked at both of them with open murderous intent, his energy bearing down on the two who were a second away from another clash.

Magic king.

Yes. The person who had just arrived was one full realm above level 5.

A level 6 magic king.

This was the city lord of the City of Dogs.

The fight stopped immediately.

The pressure from his presence alone shifted the air around them. It wasn't loud. It didn't need to be. Everyone in the sky felt it settle on their shoulders like a weight that hadn't been there a moment ago.

Leon's gaze fell on the individual standing right in front of him. He assessed him without rushing. Took his measure.

Before reaching this stage, he would have had reservations about an all-out battle in a city like this.

Especially in the central region where warlocks were banned.

But upon entering the transcendent stage and creating his four-colored magic well, it would be impossible for anyone to tell whether he was a warlock or a mage just by looking.

They would need to cut him open to find out. Check whether his organs were mismatched.

Good luck getting that close.

Leon held the city lord's gaze and didn't look away. As if telling him he wasn't afraid of him.

"I don't recognize this one."

The city lord's eyes moved between the two of them as he frowned. He knew the Firestone woman well enough.

She was called Linda Firestone.

One of the five transcendent beings of Firestone manor. Known, documented, accounted for.

But this boy's face didn't register anywhere in his memory.

Yet the state Leon had left Linda in registered quite clearly.

He studied the boy for a moment longer.

He was young, his gaze was as firm as rocks and something about him screamed killer. Clearly he wasn't some over pampered young son of a family.

I should be careful about this one.

Definitely.

"Let's go down" the city lord said looking at the two as he slowly descended towards Leon's courtyard.

There, the city guards thoroughly beaten looked up at the glorious figure of the city lord and hung their heads in shame.