From Ruin to Reign Leander's Unbreakable Will novel Chapter 451

Flame Goddess Halia stood wrapped in living fire, her body glowing as if she had emerged from a volcano. Sparks shimmered inside her pupils and twisted outward into coiling dragons of flame, each one looping around her as if the sky belonged to her alone.

Khaedor flickered beside her, drifting in and out of sight. A dark shimmer pulsed from his skin. The ground under his boots gave way, sinking into a hollowed crater as the air around him turned sharp enough to cut.

Seth, Keith and Kenneth traded a quick look.

Their faces tightened once that old fear resurfaced—the same fear Halia carved into their bones years ago with a single casual motion.

Back then, she barely lifted a hand and crushed the three of them in seconds. No one wanted to imagine what she looked like when she stopped holding back. Khaedor, standing next to her, made the weight even worse. His strength had always been the type no one could measure.

If those two joined forces, even someone ranked above the Infernal Crown Transcendent would think twice.

No one knew if Leander could handle both at the same time.

"First on the International Combat Units... Khaedor, the God of Madness? Second on the board... Halia, the Flame Goddess?"

Leander kept his hands behind his back. A crooked grin tugged at his lips as if the whole scene amused him.

He remembered glancing at that ranking list once. Countless names rose and fell over the last decade, entire positions overturned. The top two never moved an inch. That was real dominance.

Out of the over twenty Transcendent Realm masters assembled here, only these two compelled him to focus on them.

Halia's elemental mastery ran so deep that the world shifted whenever she focused.

…

Meanwhile, Khaedor hid his strength beneath a deceptively calm exterior. His body lacked Torrez the Raging Bull's brute ferocity, yet the internal strength lying underneath still brushed against Leander's Devourer Form. That sensation marked a genuine predator.

Together, they easily surpassed the Son of Judgment, Fergus Lynch. If the Infernal Crown Transcendent Realm had levels, Fergus was at the advanced stage. These two moved directly into the elite tier—possibly even the peak.

Khaedor kept his focus locked on Leander. "Jeff, none of us walked in here looking to throw hands with you. You keep acting like Astria is the whole world. It isn't. Your kingdom is barely a corner of what's really out there.

"You aren't even twenty, yet your cultivation already wrecked the record books. Everyone knows you have talent. Talent doesn't make you untouchable. Your current level hasn't reached the top of the Transcendent Realm. Even if you owned it, something higher still waits.

"The step above Transcendent is the King Phase."

The words rippled across the battlefield. Several individuals froze in place, and even Leander showed a flicker of surprise.

"King Phase?" he repeated. His memory flashed to scraps of ancient text he barely skimmed. There were no descriptions or explanations.

Halia caught the hint of confusion in his eyes and smirked. "You don't even know it exists. Your horizon's tiny. We clearly overestimated you."

"This relic isn't yours. We're taking it. Stop us, and you die." Her flames rose in a slow wave. "Make the smart choice. Leave while you still can."

Halia appeared irresistible, with all her features captivating, yet her voice resonated with regal authority. The commanding tone in her words surpassed what many men could produce, showcasing the presence of a genuine top-tier fighter.

Leander stood at the edge of the cliff, his expression smoothing out as he exhaled and shook his head. "I don't know what this King Phase is, nor do I care. King, emperor—these titles don't matter. Anyone who blocks my way will be crushed.

"Power is simply divided into two types: strong or weak. Everything else is just a label." He raised his chin. "Stand in my path, and I'll end you."

The last word was spoken, and a flash of blue light burst from his body. A column of azure shot directly into the clouds, causing the air to rumble. His aura tore through the pressure around Halia and Khaedor as if it wasn't there.

Their eyes flickered. Murder settled into both pairs.

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