Chapter 283: Athena’s Fury and the Movement of Humanity’s Forces
Returning to the present moment…
Leon lay naked on the bed, his body drenched in sweat, as though he’d run thousands of kilometers.
Liliana, equally bare, slept peacefully on top of him, a smile lingering on her lips.
She clung to Leon like a koala, as if unwilling to let go even in her sleep, leaving him feeling slightly helpless.
It had been over three hours since he told Liliana about the incident with Athena, and during that time, Liliana had completely suppressed him.
Like a relentless succubus, she passionately unleashed all her abilities, as if her goal was to defeat him and drain him dry.
Fortunately, with his hero power restored, his physical strength had returned to its peak, making Liliana’s efforts futile.
Instead of wearing him out, Liliana herself became overwhelmed and even begged him to stop.
Recalling their earlier heated moments, Leon could only chuckle as he glanced down at Liliana, fast asleep on his chest, and gently poked her cheek with his index finger.
“You’re still a hundred years too early to beat me, my honorable Demon Emperor,” Leon whispered, a faint smile curling his lips.
After enjoying a moment of playing with Liliana’s sleeping face, he gently moved her curvaceous, alluring body to his side and covered her with a blanket.
Once he ensured she was comfortably positioned, Leon nodded in satisfaction and kissed her forehead tenderly.
He then picked up his clothes, slightly wrinkled from their earlier intense fight, and began dressing.
Slipping quietly off the bed, Leon walked slowly toward the balcony and stopped by the railing.
He lifted his head, gazing up at the beautiful night sky with an indifferent yet thoughtful expression.
At that moment, the memory of Liliana forgiving him instead of getting upset flashed through his mind, leaving him feeling somewhat bewildered.
“What’s really going on? Why was Liliana’s reaction so different from what I expected after hearing about the incident with Athena?” Leon inquired inwardly.
While Liliana’s reaction undeniably made him happy, it also left him wondering what was really going on.
At first, he expected her to hate or scold him, but her quick forgiveness was far beyond anything he had imagined.
“Was Liliana moved by my sincerity?” The thought briefly stunned Leon before he chuckled and dismissed the idea.
Though this possibility seemed plausible, Leon felt that the situation was more complicated than it appeared, and he had a hunch that something might have happened during his absence from the palace that afternoon.
Yet, no matter how hard he tried to guess, he couldn’t find a suitable explanation, leaving him with nothing but curiosity.
“Tomorrow, I’ll simply ask Liliana,” Leon said with a soft sigh.
Glancing up at the night sky once more, Leon shook his head slightly and turned to reenter the room.
However, just as he took a few steps, a sudden thought crossed his mind, causing him to stop.
“By the way, Athena should have already returned to her palace, right?” he asked, his brow furrowing slightly.
Considering it had been nearly four hours since he left the sleeping Athena, she should have woken up and returned to her palace by now.
Imagining how she would react upon discovering that he was no longer by her side, Leon couldn’t help but chuckle as he shrugged his shoulders.
“Pfft! She’s bound to be very angry, isn’t she?” He mused inwardly, a playful smile dancing on his lips.
Although Liliana had forgiven him, the resentment he felt towards Athena for deceiving him and attacking him while he was defenseless still lingered.
As a handsome and dignified sword hero, he had never experienced such a sense of disadvantage.
Fortunately, Liliana held no grudges or hatred against him, which softened his resentment towards Athena.
Shaking his head, he dismissed those thoughts and returned to the bed, closing his eyes while hugging Liliana’s curvaceous body.
…
“Your Majesty Empress, we have returned to the Imperial Palace. Do you have any orders for us to follow?”
In front of the door, a beautiful woman in red armor knocked gently and spoke respectfully.
She stood quietly, waiting for a response from within the room. But after three minutes passed with no reply, she felt a twinge of confusion.
Knocking slowly once more, she called out again in a respectful tone, “Your Majesty Empress, do you have any orders for us to execute?”
Still, there was no answer from within, making the woman in red armor sigh softly.
“It seems Her Majesty the Empress is still asleep,” she whispered helplessly.
She stared at the door before her, hesitating slightly about whether to wake her.
After contemplating for a while, she ultimately decided against waking her from her sleep, fearing the scolding that might follow.
The wrath of the Dragon Empress was something no ordinary dragon warrior like her could hope to withstand.
With a soft sigh, she shook her head and left the area.
***
Meanwhile, inside the room, Athena, who had been sleeping soundly, furrowed her brows as the sound of knocking on the door and a woman’s voice calling her from outside broke her slumber.
With her eyelids feeling heavy, she slowly opened her eyes and gazed up at the ceiling in a slight daze.
“Um… what happened? Why does my head feel so heavy and painful?” Athena asked in a hoarse voice, rubbing her aching temples.
She closed her eyes, trying to recall what had happened to leave her feeling this way.
Moments later, memories of her passionate encounter with Leon filled her mind, causing her to widen her eyes in astonishment.
“That’s right! How could I forget that!?” Athena exclaimed, her charming, beautiful face glowing with joy.
Just moments ago, her dream of possessing Leon had finally come true!
Though the way she accomplished it was highly inappropriate and unethical, she didn’t care one bit!
As long as Leon was hers, she would do anything—even resort to the most devious means!
Unable to hide her happiness, she lowered her gaze and spotted a flower-shaped bloodstain on the sheets.
Instantly, a sweet and charming smile blossomed on her lips, and she giggled like a girl who had just fallen in love.
“Hehehe! Now, even if you want to deny it, you won’t be able to, Leon,” Athena whispered softly, licking her lips.
In the past, Leon had always avoided her, but after their passionate moment together, he would no longer be able to escape!
With a faint smile still lingering on her lips, Athena turned her head to the side to gaze at Leon’s sleeping face, only to be dumbfounded to find that he was no longer there.
“What!? He’s not here!?” Athena exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief.
She quickly scanned the entire room, realizing that Leon was nowhere to be found!
Suddenly, her radiant face, once filled with happiness, turned cold as a fire-red aura surged from her body. Her lovely smile was swiftly replaced by a chilling grin that would make anyone shiver in fear.
“How dare you run away from me after everything that happened between us, Leon? Do you think I’m that simple to get rid of?” Athena muttered indifferently, her fire-red aura intensifying.
The fire-red aura enveloped her stunning figure, and in the blink of an eye, a beautiful red gown materialized, covering her body that had previously been completely bare.
With a cold smile lingering on her lips, she stared at the bed and muttered indifferently, “Even if you run to the ends of the earth, I will find you!”
After speaking, Athena raised her palm and vanished from the scene.
…
The following morning…
Inside a spacious tent, Heidel and the three Demon generals gathered around a table displaying a map of the Chaos Desert, their expressions serious and focused.
“Terran, have you noticed any signs of movement from humanity’s troops?” Heidel inquired casually, glancing at the Terran across from him.
Terran shook his head, his voice tinged with frustration. “Unfortunately, there are no signs of movement from humanity’s troops, Arch-demon Heidel. They remain in a retreating position, but there’s no indication they’re leaving the Desert of Chaos region.”
Upon hearing his reply, Heidel’s expression remained unchanged, as if he had anticipated this outcome.
He gave a slight nod and turned his gaze to Lilith beside him, asking, “Lilith, are the troop supplies sufficient for the next month?”
Lilith nodded in response. “For the next month, the supplies are ample, and they could last even longer if the situation continues like this.”
However, after a brief pause, her expression shifted slightly as she added, “Nonetheless, unrest has arisen among the demon troops since humanity began their retreat. Many are questioning our decision to adopt a passive stance instead of an aggressive one, which poses a risk of discontent and could seriously threaten the unity of our army, Arch-demon Heidel.”
Listening to this, Heidel froze for a moment, his usually confident demeanor slightly faltering.
It wasn’t that he lacked the desire to charge forward and attack humanity’s forces; rather, their current strategy was defensive, dictated by the Demon Emperor’s orders—an order he could not disobey.
Additionally, there was a strong chance that humanity’s retreat was a trap, and he needed to consider that possibility carefully.
Just as he was contemplating a solution, the sudden sound of footsteps accompanied by a soldier’s panicked voice broke through.
“Report to the generals! Our spies have reported movements from humanity’s troops in the eastern region!”
————
A/N: Ahem! The battle between Leon and Jim is about to begin! I’ve been eagerly anticipating this arc, as it promises a wealth of drama, grudges, and emotional entanglements among the characters.
Stay tuned, and don’t forget to show your support! Thank you!
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