The First Dragon God-Chapter 71: Just All Talk

The battlefield was eerily silent.

The air was thick with the stench of death and the intensity of the odor seems to be increasing by the second.

Pile of corpses—zombies, mutant creatures, and beasts—littered the ground. The faint rustle of wind stirred the blood-soaked earth, carrying with it the scent of decay and rot.

Leo stood at the center of it all, his breathing steady despite the exhaustion clawing at his body. His grip on Nightshade was firm, the blade dripping with black blood.

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Beside him, Fiona and the wolf pack flanked him, their eyes locked on the figure standing at the entrance of the building.

Ryan.

His twisted smile remained, a mask of calm arrogance. His clothes were stained with blood, but he stood tall, his posture relaxed, as if the carnage around him was nothing more than an amusing spectacle.

"You survived," Ryan said, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "I’ll admit… I’m impressed. I initially thought that you were just lucky but it seems like I was wrong. You actually a decent amount of skill."

Leo didn’t respond. He simply took a step forward, his eyes cold and unyielding, and an equally cold smile on his face.

"This time, it’s just you and me," Leo said, with a low voice.

Ryan chuckled softly, the sound devoid of any warmth. "Oh, I agree. But tell me, Leo… are you ready to face me?"

Leo didn’t respond directly but cold, unwavering gaze and the smile on his face said it all.

Fiona growled softly, her hackles raised, but Leo didn’t need her warning. He knew Ryan was dangerous, more so now than ever before.

"I should thank you," Ryan continued, his tone conversational. "Without your naive kindness, none of this would have been possible.

You gave me shelter. You trusted me. And now look at what’s become of your precious group."

Ryan laughed mockingly as he finished his words, wanting to see Leo’s reaction.

Even though he was completely calm and composed on the outside, he was completely shaken inside and his brain was working twice as much, as he thought of what next to do.

He never expected Leo to be this strong. He never accounted for his strength on anyway. But even with how things looks like the heaven might fall the next moment, Ryan was still smiling inwardly as his eyes drifted to the wolves behind Leo.

Leo’s jaw clenched and he squeezed Nightshade tightly as he looked ahead. He wasn’t affected by Ryan’s words, neither did he care about him.

The reason why he’s feeling so agitated right now is because of Ms Ves who was being held down by a mutant creature.

He saw how bloody and badly beaten her looks, and he almost lost himself in rage. He did well to control himself by doing a quick breathing exercise, but it did little to lessen his rage.

"You wanted to save people," Ryan said, stepping forward. "You thought you could protect them. But all you did was make them weak. You coddled them, gave them hope in a world that doesn’t allow it."

Ryan’s smile widened, his eyes gleaming with malicious amusement. "And look where it got you. Betrayed. Abandoned. Forced to fight monsters while they hid like cowards."

Leo’s grip on Nightshade tightened.

Ryan took a step forward, with a slow and delibrate movement.

"People don’t want a savior, Leo. They want a leader, someone who can make hard choices. Someone who can control them and the situation. Someone who understands that fear is the only way to survive."

Leo’s smiled when he heard Ryan’s words. He couldn’t help but scoff and shake his head at his opponent’s stupidity.

Ryan’s smile faltered for a brief moment when he saw Leo’s reaction, but he quickly composed himself.

"I know. It’s not exactly pretty. But the world isn’t exactly pretty right now and besides, it works. I will keep them alive as I’ve continued to do from the beginning. I will also continue to give them direction. Something you can never do."

"You will manipulated them, just like you have been doing since," Leo said. "You will use fear and lies to turn them against each other. Just as you have used to turn them against me."

Ryan shrugged. "And it worked."

Leo took another step forward, his gaze locked on Ryan. "You think that makes you strong? Manipulating people? Spreading fear?"

"It makes me a survivor," Ryan said, his tone growing colder. "And that’s all that matters in this world."

For a moment, the two stood in silence, the weight of their words hanging heavy in the air.

Then, without warning, Ryan’s demeanor shifted. His smile twisted into something darker, more sinister.

"You’re still clinging to those childish ideals," Ryan said. "Kindness. Loyalty. Trust. They’re weaknesses, Leo. And in this world, weakness gets you killed."

Leo’s gaze didn’t waver. "It’s not weakness to believe in people."

Ryan sneered. "People are selfish. They’ll take what they can get and leave you to die when it’s convenient. Just like they did to you."

Leo’s heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to stay calm. He couldn’t let Ryan’s words get to him.

"You’re right, yet, wrong," Leo said quietly. "The people who betrayed me weren’t weak. They were scared. And fear makes people do stupid things."

Ryan laughed, the sound echoing through the ruined streets. "And what’s your excuse? You trusted me. You let me in."

Leo’s grip on Nightshade tightened, the weight of the blade grounding him. "I made a mistake. But I won’t make it again."

Ryan’s eyes gleamed with madness. "We’ll see."

Ryan made the first move, as he raised his hand, activating the active effect of his skill, [Corrupt Call], with a dark and ominous energy swirling around his fingers.

The around air grew thick with tension as a small number of mutant creatures emerged from the shadows, their eyes gleaming with malice and madness.

They moved with unnatural grace, their bodies twitching as if waiting for a command.

Leo glanced at Fiona. "Go."

Without hesitation, Fiona and the wolves charged toward the creatures, their growls reverberating through the battlefield.

Ryan watched them with a smirk before turning his gaze back to Leo.

"You’re strong. But strength alone won’t save you," He said as he pulled a dagger from his belt.

Leo raised Nightshade, his stance firm. "I don’t need saving."

"We shall see."

Ryan lunged, his movements swift and erratic, and very surprising.

One would had expected Ryan to attack Leo but instead... He seems to be running away. Escaping.

Leo narrower his eyes when he saw this. He didn’t know if Ryan was actually running away or it was a strategy of his.

It took him a moment but he finally realised... He was really running away.

"That son of a bitch!" Leo roared as he turned into a blur chasing after Ryan.

There was no way that he was going to leg Ryan to escape after everything that he has done to him and Ms Ves. He was initially hesitating about killing him but seeing what be did to her, he no longer had any reservations.

It was just as Leo thought. Ryan was actually running away. He knew that there was no way he could face Leo with his weak strength, and this is even with the fact that Leo had already been exhausted by the monster and zombie tode.

He wasn’t going to take the risk. Also, the drawback of his skill was already getting too much for him to handle. He has to find a place to settle down and calm the voice in his head.

If he can’t win today, then he will continue to gather monsters and one day, he would come back and pay Leo for the humiliation he has made him suffer today.

Ryan was still running and thinking about the future, when he felt something crash into his back. He was sent tumbling across the ground and when he finally stops, he saw Leo standing in front of him with a face contorted in rage.

"You were running?" Leo asked, with a sinister smile on his face and his head titled slightly.

"After all that rambling, your next move was to run away? Tsk. So much for a leader that is fit to lead a group in an unforgiving world," Leo said, as he slowly walked towards Ryan who was lying on the ground.

"I must admit to one thing you said though. You’re right. Strength isn’t enough. A leader must be smart, but you know? He must also be smart and strong.

The new world is ruled by strength, not schemes. When you meet someone with absolute strength, all you schemes will be like child’s play," Leo said, as he paused his steps and bent down in front of Ryan.

The next moment, Ryan burst into mad laughter, laughing like someone who has finally lost it, but the next moment, he went silent and said a single word to Leo.

"Boo-boo."

The following moment, everything happened like a flash.

Leo heard growling behind him and he turned to see Fiona and the wolves lunging at him.

The wolves darted toward him, their growls low and menacing. For a split second, Leo’s mind raced with conflicting thoughts. Why are they coming at me? Did Ryan turn them? He hesitatedly gripped Nightshade tighter, ready to defend himself.

Instead of them attacking him as he thought they were about to, he saw them rush past him and towards Ryan.

But another surprising thing happened the next moment, as a figure appeared behind Ryan with a gust of wind and bit him in the next.

"Ms Ves?"