The First Dragon God-Chapter 54: Aftermath

Ves caught Leo just as his legs gave out beneath him. His battered and bloodied body collapsed into her arms, his head lolling against her shoulder.

She tightened her grip, preventing him from hitting the ground, her heart pounding in her chest.

"You idiot…" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Despite her words, a soft, relieved smile spread across her face as she cradled him. Her hand gently brushed through his hair, smoothing back the blood-matted strands.

His face, though bruised and pale, held a peaceful expression in unconsciousness, as if the battle he had just endured was a distant memory.

For a moment, Ves simply held him, savoring the fact that he was still breathing.

"You did it… You really did it."

She lifted her gaze, taking in the battlefield around them. The scene was one of utter devastation. Cracks spider-webbed across the asphalt where the mutant creature’s massive fists had struck.

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Vehicles lay overturned and crumpled like discarded toys, their metal frames twisted beyond recognition. Blood—both black and red—stained the ground, mingling with the rainwater pooling in the fissures.

Her gaze shifted to the monster’s corpse. Even in death, the beast was terrifying. Its hulking body lay sprawled on the ground, its grotesque, chitin-covered armor cracked and shattered.

Black, tar-like blood oozed from the gaping wound in its head where Leo had delivered the final blow.

The creature’s red eyes, now dim and lifeless, stared blankly at the sky, and its massive claws were still extended, as if even in death, it refused to surrender.

Ves shuddered, unable to tear her eyes away.

"He fought that… alone."

Her thoughts drifted back to the battle. She could only imagine the sheer willpower and determination Leo had summoned to face such a monster head-on.

The devastation around her told the story of a brutal struggle—a battle of wit versus brute strength, of a boy standing against impossible odds.

"You crazy, reckless fool," she murmured, her voice laced with both pride and frustration.

Her gaze shifted to Fiona and the wolf pack. They lay scattered around the battlefield, their bodies bruised and battered.

Fiona whimpered softly, licking at a deep gash on her foreleg. The other wolves lay curled up, their fur matted with blood and mud, their breaths shallow.

Ves took a deep breath, pushing down her emotions. There was no time to dwell on the past. Leo needed her, and so did the wolves.

"Come on, let’s get you home," she whispered.

Before she left, she decided to check around the monster’s corpse to see if she would find those small glass balls that contains treasures.

She didn’t need to search for too long as she saw four of the small glass balls she was looking for, on the ground beside the monster’s corpse.

She immediately picked them up and dropped two of them into her pockets, and held the rest in her hands.

She walked back to Leo and with a grunt, she hoisted his unconscious body into her arms. His weight pressed heavily against her, but she bore it without complaint.

With Leo on her shoulder, she walked to the Fiona and the wolves.

"Can you walk?" She asked Fiona, and she got a soft whimper as response.

"I would have carried you guys but as you can see, my hands are full. If you all can still walk, follow me back. I will take care of you all when we get back," She said, and Fiona, and the wolves whimpered softly in response.

Ves smiled when she saw this. She nodded at them and started walking back to the residential building with her steps were slow and measured.

Behind her, Fiona and the wolves limped along, their movements sluggish. Despite their injuries, they followed her without hesitation, their loyalty to Leo evident in their every step.

...

The day passed in a blur. Ves had spent hours tending to the wolves, cleaning their wounds and ensuring they were as comfortable as possible.

She felt she owes them that much for protecting Leo—even though she has no idea how they contributed to the battle, but the injuries they suffered was enough evidence.

She had carried Leo to his room, gently laying him on his bed before cleaning the blood and grime from his body.

Now, as night fell, Ves sat beside Leo’s bed, her hand resting lightly on his arm. Her eyes flicked to his face every few minutes, watching for any sign of him waking.

His face was peaceful, his breathing steady, but his body still bore the marks of battle, from the bruises, cuts, and bandaged wounds on it.

Ves sighed, leaning back in the chair. The weight of the day pressed down on her shoulders, exhaustion tugging at her. But she refused to leave his side.

Her gaze flicked to the window. The moonlight bathed the room in a soft glow, illuminating the quiet stillness.

Her mind replayed the battle over and over, her emotions a swirling mix of anger, pride, and fear.

When Leo finally stirred, Ves shot upright.

"Leo?"

His eyes fluttered open, his gaze hazy and unfocused. He groaned, his hand twitching as he tried to push himself up.

"Easy," Ves said, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don’t move too much."

Leo blinked, his gaze slowly sharpening. He winced as he tried to shift his position, a sharp hiss escaping his lips.

"Fuck…" he muttered, his voice hoarse.

"Don’t swear," Ves scolded, her voice softer than usual. "You’ve been through enough today."

Leo chuckled weakly, though the action made him grimace in pain.

"Yeah… feels like I got hit by a truck."

"You did, several times," Ves replied, her tone dry.

Leo groaned as he tried to sit up again, his movements slow and labored. His ribs ached with every breath, and his muscles protested with each shift.

"How bad is it?" he asked.

"Bad enough," Ves said. "Your ribs are broken and you’ve got bruises all over."

Leo let out a weary sigh, leaning back against the pillows. "Could be worse."

Ves crossed her arms, her gaze narrowing. "It could have been a lot worse. You could’ve died, Leo."

Her words hung heavily in the air, the weight of them pressing down on both of them.

Leo looked away, guilt flickering across his features. "I know."

"Do you?" Ves leaned forward, her expression stern. "Do you understand how reckless you were? You went out there alone and faced a monster that should’ve killed you ten times over. And for what?"

"For us," Leo said quietly. "For everyone in the building. We need supplies. We need to secure this area. If I hadn’t gone—"

"No, Leo. Don’t try to justify your actions," Ves interrupted. "I know you’re confident about your strength but I’m sure that you’ve seen that no matter how strong you are, there’s something about there stronger than you. You’re strong, Leo, but you’re not invincible."

Leo remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.

Ves sighed, her tone softening. "I’m not saying this to scold you. I’m saying it because I care. We care. You’re not alone, Leo. You don’t have to carry everything on your shoulders."

Leo turned to look at her, his eyes filled with emotion. "I just… I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt."

"And you think I don’t feel the same way about you?" Ves asked, her voice gentle. "I don’t want you to get hurt either. We don’t want you to get hurt either."

Silence stretched between them, the tension slowly easing.

"I get it," Leo finally said. "I won’t go out alone again. I promise."

Ves nodded, satisfied. "Good. Because next time, I’m coming with you. Whether you like it or not."

Leo chuckled softly, a genuine smile tugging at his lips despite the pain. "Deal."

As Ves leaned back in her chair, relief washed over her. The day had been long and exhausting, but Leo was alive. That alone was enough.