"Nani! It''s you!"


    Leon eximed in astonishmt, fear etched across his face as he gazed at the figure oping the door—an extraordinarily beautiful woman.


    With snow- hair elegantly gathered into a bun cascading over her right shoulder, she possessed an extraordinarily wless face,plete with blood-red eyes that exuded an air of indifferce.


    However, what truly startled him was the revtion that this stunning woman was  other than Liliana Crimson, the Demon Emperor with whom he had shed in battle before!


    Hce, how could he not express astonishmt?


    Meanwhile, Liliana, upon hearing Leon''s exmation directed at her, was tak aback for a few momts before a faint smile finally graced her lips.


    "Oh? Has the valiant sword hero awaked already?" Liliana teased, tering and gtly closing the door behind her.


    "Awake already? st it, what happed, and why am I suddly here? Is this your doing?" Leon became vignt, scrutinizing her as if trying to discern the motives of this woman.


    He couldn''t fathom how he had ded up here, considering his memory was crystal clear that he should have vanquished this woman with one of his ultimate attacks—the Clock of Destiny!


    However, upon scrutinizing her seemingly well-state and himself, appearing as if he had just fainted, it became evidt that things were not unfolding as he had anticipated.


    So, what exactly transpired?


    "Ugh..." Leon winced, holding his head with a pallid expression as another wave of pain assailed him, inducing extreme dizziness before gradually subsiding.


    Observing him in pain, Liliana''s expression inexplicably exhibited a slight fluctuation, yet she promptly suppressed it, suring Leon remained oblivious to her momtary reaction.


    "If I imed it wasn''t me, would you believe it?" Liliana walked over, her tone indiffert.


    "Not you? Huh, I''d sooner believe in ghosts than your words." Leon sneered, his face still pale, dismissing her statemt.


    Considering Liliana was the only one prest in front of him, gaged inbat in the war, who else could have inflicted this upon him?


    Observing hisplete disbelief and the irritating sneer on his face, Liliana''s fists clched, seemingly poised to strike this infuriating man.


    Yet, contemting her long-term goals, she reluctantly restrained her anger and forced a stiff smile.


    "I''ve told you, I''m not the one responsible for your currt state." Liliana struggled to suppress her anger, ring at Leon with intse hatred, as if she truly desired to confront and defeat him.


    At her words, which carried an air of truth, Leon''s expression inevitably shifted to one of hesitancy.


    "Th, who is responsible for it?" He asked, his face reflecting a mix of confusion andplexity.


    "Hah~ it appears your memory vanished after that incidt. Well th, I''ll assist you in recovering it swiftly." Without allowing Leon to dy or evade, Liliana promptly extded her index finger, and a red spot of light blossomed on Leon''s forehead.


    "Buzz!"


    Leon''s expression instantly transformed as an overwhelming pain surged through his head.


    "Arghh!" He groaned in agony, and the memories that had initially felt blurred gradually began toe into rity.


    Liliana delicately withdrew her index finger from his forehead, calmly awaiting Leon to process his memories.


    Aplex expression adorned her beautiful face as she scrutinized Leon, concealing emotions that were not tirely clear.


    After five minutes, the pained expression on Leon''s face gradually subsided until he finally oped his eyes.


    "I understand..." He murmured in a low tone, a creased expression marking his face.


    As it turned out, Liliana''s words were true, as she was not the one responsible for his currt condition.


    Upon executing his ultimate attack, the Clock of Destiny, a sudd pain surged through his inner body, disrupting his mana flow and resulting in the failure of his final attack.


    The repercussions of the failure backfired, inflicting such severe harm upon him that he found himself critically injured and teetering on the verge of death.


    Fortunately, Liliana promptly interved, saving him and mitigating the impact of the self-inflicted damage, averting his demise.


    The Clock of Destiny, after all, was not an ordinary attack; rather, it proved to be an extraordinarily lethal strike with unimaginable consequces, harnessing the power of time.


    Anyone struck by this attack would vanish instantly, their existce erased from both the past and the future.


    Thankfully, the counterattack effect of the Clock of Destiny didn''t fully befall him; otherwise, his existce in both the past and future would have vanished.


    Contemting the possibility st shivers of fear down his spine.


    Nevertheless, aplex expression graced his face, perplexed by the iprehsible nature of Liliana''s actions in saving him.


    "I apologize for using you, and I''m grateful for saving me," Leon sighed, expressing guine sincerity.


    Being a straightforward person, he harbored no shame in admitting defeat.


    In this war and the counter with Liliana, he undoubtedly expericed a substantial defeat, irrespective of the underlying reasons.


    "You needn''t express thanks in that manner; your gratitude holds no value for me." Liliana, although feeling somewhat at ease regarding his behavior, maintained a cold and indiffert expression.


    "Despite your stance, the fact remains that you saved me. Furthermore, I am now the defeated geral, and you stand as the victor." Leon shook his head subtly, a hint of sadness lingering in his heart.


    Honestly, this marked the first instance of defeat for him since acquiring the holy sword''s recognition and ascding to the status of a sword hero.


    Whether in one-on-one duels or on the battlefield, he had never expericed defeat before.


    The realization that he would ultimately experice defeat at the hands of the eternal emy he was destined to confront as a hero was unexpected.


    Contemting this, a small smile graced his lips as he ssed that this oue wasn''t tirely unfavorable.


    His animosity toward the demon race wasn''t as intse as that of other humans.


    His past life in the modern world had molded his thinking to be more op-minded than the inhabitants native to this world.


    The conflict betwe the two races was a struggle for their respective glory, and it was not an exaggeration to say that there was no clear right or wrong betwe them.


    However, being the hero of the human race, it was only natural for him to defd humanity and fulfill his duty, wasn''t it?


    Observing Leon''sposed demeanor, Liliana, feeling irritated herself, asked in a cold tone.


    "Ar''t you afraid I might torture you or kill you violtly?"


    She intded to instill fear in Leon and witness the panic she had se before.


    Unfortunately, Leonyzily on the bed, unfazed.


    "If you pose that question, I am guinely quite frighted. However, as I mtioned earlier, I am a defeated geral, so I must ept whatever fate awaits me. Ev if you choose to d my life, I won''t resist," Leon stated indiffertly and calmly, devoid of any emotional fluctuations.


    He th gazed at Liliana with confidce and continued, "Moreover, I''m quite certain you won''t kill me, right?"


    -----------


    AN: Cough! Please give me the support and thank you! ?? ? ??