The First Dragon God-Chapter 80: Strength Comes In Many Forms
The tension in the air was thick, palpable, pressing down like an unseen weight.
Leo stood still, his fingers tightening around the hilt of Nightshade as he regarded the scarred man with an unreadable expression.
Behind him, Fiona and the wolves bristled, their hackles raised. A low growl rumbled from Fiona’s throat, carrying a warning, one that made the air feel even heavier.
"Well?" the scarred man asked again, taking a slow step forward.
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His smirk remained, but his eyes glinted with malice.
"Is what they’re saying true, kid? Do you have a stash of meat back at your base?"
Leo let the question hang in the air for a moment, his calm demeanor unshaken. He tilted his head slightly, studying the man.
He noticed the way the others in the armed group shifted nervously, their hands gripping their weapons a little tighter as they waited for his response.
"Meat?" Leo finally said, his voice calm. "Do I look like someone who’s sitting on a stockpile?"
The scarred man’s smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, but he quickly recovered.
"You’ve got wolves with you, kid. Healthy-looking ones at that. Are they your pets? And you’re out here wandering around like you own the place. Sounds to me like you’ve got more than you’re letting on."
Leo shrugged, his posture relaxed despite the rising tension.
"The wolves hunt. They take care of themselves. As for me… if I had a stash of meat like that, do you think I’d be out here wandering the streets?"
The man narrowed his eyes, his smirk fading slightly. He took another step forward, his boots crunching on the debris-strewn pavement.
"You’re lying."
Leo met his gaze evenly, a calm yet cold expression enveloping his face.
"Am I? Or are you just desperate enough to believe whatever you’re told?"
The scarred man bristled, his shoulders tensing.
"Watch your mouth, kid."
Leo didn’t flinch. Instead, he took a step forward, closing the distance between them.
"And you should watch yours. You’re making assumptions based on the word of people who sold me out to save their own skin. Can you really trust them?"
Behind the man, the lanky survivor who had exposed Leo looked away, his face pale. The others in the armed group exchanged uneasy glances, their confidence wavering.
The scarred man’s lips curled into a snarl. "You’ve got a lot of nerve, talking to me like that."
"And you’ve got a lot of nerve pointing a weapon at a stranger, a kid, without knowing what they’re capable of," Leo countered, his voice low but with a sharp edge.
His gaze never wavered, locked onto the man’s with unrelenting intensity.
The two stood there, a silent battle of wills unfolding between them.
The scarred man’s attempt at intimidation was met with an unwavering resolve that radiated from Leo.
Despite his smaller stature and younger age, Leo’s presence filled the space, his quiet confidence cutting through the tension like a blade.
One of the armed men shifted uneasily, glancing at the wolves.
"Boss… maybe we should back off. Look at those things. They’ll tear us apart if he gives the word."
The scarred man didn’t respond immediately, his eyes still locked on Leo’s.
The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating.
Fiona let out another low growl, taking a step closer to Leo, her sharp teeth bared.
Leo tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I’d listen to him if I were you. My wolves don’t take kindly to threats."
The scarred man’s jaw tightened, his knuckles whitening as he gripped his machete. "You think you’re smart, don’t you?"
Leo’s smirk widened ever so slightly. "Smart enough to know you’re stalling because you’re not sure you can win this."
The man’s eyes flared with anger, and for a moment, it seemed like he might lash out. But then he took a step back, his movements slow and deliberate.
He glanced at the lanky survivor who had betrayed Leo, then at the rest of his group. They were all watching him, their expressions a mix of apprehension and doubt.
"You’re lucky I’m in a good mood today," the scarred man said, his tone laced with venom. "But don’t think this is over. If I find out you’ve been lying, I’ll make sure you regret it."
Leo’s expression didn’t change. "You’ll have to catch me first."
The scarred man’s smirk returned, but it was thinner this time, less confident. He motioned to his group, and they began to back away, their movements cautious as they kept their weapons trained on Leo and the wolves.
As the group retreated, the tension in the air began to dissipate, but Leo remained still, his eyes fixed on the scarred man until he disappeared around a corner. Only then did he let out a slow breath, his grip on Nightshade loosening slightly.
Fiona nudged his side, her growl fading into a soft whine. Leo knelt down, placing a hand on her head. "Good girl," he murmured.
The wolves gathered around him, their postures still tense but their trust in him was evident. He patted each of them in turn, his mind already racing with thoughts about what had just happened.
The apocalypse had a way of revealing the worst in people. That much was clear. But if there was one thing Leo had learned, it was that strength came in many forms.
Today, he had won not through brute force but through wit and resolve.
As he stood and looked back toward the direction the group had gone, a flicker of anger sparked in his chest. The betrayal from Grewishka’s group stung more than he wanted to admit. He had given them shelter, food and they threw it all away. Not only that, they also betrayed him.
But even though he felt this way, kevwas aware that he couldn’t afford to dwell on it now. The world wasn’t going to stop moving because of his feelings.
"Let’s go," Leo said quietly, motioning to the wolves. They fell in line behind him as he began walking down the street, his mind already focused on the next challenge.
The apocalypse didn’t care about kindness or fairness. It didn’t care about trust or loyalty. And Leo was determined to survive it, no matter what.
