It didn't matter how the sixth supreme leader actually looked beneath her cloak—surprising, yes, but ultimately irrelevant to the current situation. It would take considerable time for the council members to properly adjust to this shocking revelation.

Even so, the blatant disrespect she was receiving from the silver-white-haired young man didn't sit right with many of them. A few council members couldn't contain themselves and called out with indignation.

"Supreme Leader, please give us orders to deal with this criminal!"

They received immediate rude glares from the people standing beside them—those who absolutely didn't want to fight this terrifying young man after everything they'd witnessed up until now.

Are you insane? Did you not see what just happened to Kaelor? Do you have a death wish?

And as expected, Isabella shrieked, her voice filled with genuine annoyance and barely suppressed panic.

"Just shut up, all of you! Not another word!"

CRACK!

The force of her stomping her little foot actually caused small fractures to spread across the marble floor beneath her feet, spider-webbing outward in all directions.

I'm here trying desperately to reduce the damage and prevent more deaths. Some of these idiots are actively trying to destroy everything I've carefully built!

She made careful mental notes of the specific faces that had stupidly asked for combat orders. She would make absolutely certain to deal with them harshly later on for their dangerous foolishness.

If I were actually suicidal, I wouldn't have gone so far as to remove my concealing cloak and reveal my true appearance. I would have just fought him directly and died honorably.

But she was not a fool by any measure. She understood with crystal clarity what the inevitable outcome would be if she chose violence against this monster. So she had absolutely no choice whatsoever but to comply with whatever demands he made, because she genuinely didn't want to die a pointless, meaningless death here today.

I want to live. That's all that truly matters right now. Pride can be rebuilt. Death is permanent.

She absolutely hated how he was talking to her—it was embarrassing and deeply humiliating being called "little" and ordered around like a servant—but she had no real choice except to endure it with whatever shreds of dignity she could still maintain.

Replying to the monster's earlier question, her voice came out noticeably more subdued than her usual authoritative tone.

"What should I do to make things right with you?"

Hearing that seemingly genuine question, Leon looked at her with completely dead, emotionless eyes, as if silently asking whether she was actually serious or playing some game.

Is that even a real question? Do you genuinely not understand the situation you're in?

Without any warning whatsoever, he brought his epic sword up smoothly and rested the flat of the blade directly above her small shoulder. Then he activated every single Aura he possessed simultaneously—ice, wind, lightning, and space—all layered together in an impossibly chaotic spiral of destructive energy that crackled and hummed dangerously close to her delicate, exposed neck.

CRACKLE! WHOOOOSH! HUMMM! BZZZZT!

The conflicting energies created a lightshow of colors—white frost, silver wind currents, golden lightning arcs, and black spatial distortions all swirling together in defiance of natural laws.

The elements didn't blend—they snarled at each other, yet danced in uneasy orbit around the sword by his will.

Isabella began shivering uncontrollably, her entire body trembling like a leaf. Her eyes went impossibly wide with primal, instinctive terror.

What is this absolute monster?! He can have so many different Auras! And how can he combine them at once?! This shouldn't be physically possible! They should be destroying each other!

The conflicting elemental energies should have annihilated each other through violent interaction, yet somehow they remained alive on his blade, albeit not perfectly stable.

It was like watching someone juggle knives, fire, and lightning simultaneously while blindfolded—except a thousand times more impossible.

Leon was thoroughly enjoying her extremely visible reactions—the fear, the disbelief, the dawning comprehension of how utterly outmatched she truly was. He leaned forward slowly and deliberately, closing the distance between their faces.

The reason he had blocked her mana flow completely with the Arcane Shackle wasn't actually because he feared her individual strength at all. She was nowhere near threatening to him.

Rather, it was because he'd noticed earlier that she was actively using her water affinity combined with precise mana control to manually manipulate her facial expressions and appear emotionless and composed outwardly.

That won't be enjoyable to watch at all. Fake composure is boring. I want to see real emotions. So I stopped her ability to hide.

His face drew uncomfortably close to hers now, invading her personal space completely. She found herself staring helplessly, unable to look away, directly into his mystical eyes with her own shaken ocean-blue gaze.

His eyes appeared like millions of broken, colorful glass fragments suspended in some cosmic void—containing every single color in existence simultaneously, with brilliant gold being the dominant hue filling the iris and also forming a ring that circled the outer layer around his pupil.

Those eyes... they seem to contain everything literally. The entire universe, all of creation, is reflected and trapped within them. How is that possible?

It was simultaneously mesmerizing and absolutely terrifying for Isabella to witness it at such close proximity.

Leon's cold voice cut through the suffocating silence like a blade through silk.

"Don't you understand yet, little Isabella?"

He paused deliberately, letting the question hang in the air like an executioner's axe.

"If I genuinely wanted your life, you would already be dead. Your corpse would be cooling on this floor right now, along with everyone standing uselessly behind you."

Another calculated pause to let that brutal truth sink in properly. Her reaction was absolutely excellent—pure, undiluted, primal fear flooding her features now that she couldn't hide behind magical composure.

"So here's exactly what you're going to do for me. You're going to bring me the greatest treasures the middle domain has to offer. The absolute best artifacts and items you're hiding away. Nothing less than exceptional will be acceptable."

He let that firm demand settle heavily, watching with satisfaction as she processed the enormous implications with mounting horror.

Then he continued with cold steel in his voice, each word carefully enunciated.

"And don't you dare make any excuses or try to negotiate terms with me. I won't give you any more chances after this single moment of mercy. I know you can accomplish this task, dear little supreme leader."

His tone on those last words carried almost mocking false politeness that stung worse than direct insults.

Leon then leaned back casually into the throne and resumed his leisurely seated position with one leg crossed over the other. His sword returned to rest upright on the ground within his right hand in a deliberately cool, confident posture that radiated absolute control.

I'm in charge here now. Strength is everything.

Isabella—the short, blue-haired woman who normally commanded absolute respect and obedience—was completely shaken to her very core. She wanted desperately to scream and cry and rage against this profound injustice being inflicted upon her.

I wasn't even the one who gave the original order to arrest those three women related to this monster! But of course, matters related to the legal affairs and criminal proceedings of the middle domain all fall under my direct jurisdiction as the supreme judge.

She had worked so incredibly hard over decades to achieve this prestigious position, specifically because she genuinely enjoyed the responsibilities, the power, and the respect it commanded. But now she deeply, bitterly regretted ever wanting it in the first place.

Though there's absolutely no point in dwelling on useless regrets now. Survival has to come first. I can rebuild my reputation later if I'm still alive.

She replied with a painfully strained expression twisting her youthful features, already mentally calculating how much severe trouble she would inevitably face after everything was finally over—assuming she actually managed to escape this terrifying encounter alive by essentially buying her own survival with the Union's treasures.

"I will do exactly as you say, my lord."

Her entire small body was visibly shaking as she spoke the words of complete submission.

Leon, hearing her words of unconditional compliance, nodded once with clear satisfaction. "Good. Very good. Now make it quick. I'm not going to wait around long."

Isabella nodded repeatedly in acknowledgment, her head bobbing like a frightened bird, then turned carefully to face the assembled people below in the courtroom gallery.

She scanned everyone present with quick, analytical precision, and within only a few seconds of consideration, she made her final choice. She knew for absolute certain that she couldn't possibly leave this room herself—she was far too terrified of what might happen if she tried to physically move away from his direct line of sight.

If I even suggested that I could retrieve the treasures personally, I genuinely fear what his response might be. He might think I'm trying to escape or warn others. Better not to risk it at all.

Her voice rang out clearly and commandingly across the chamber, temporarily regaining some of her natural authority.

"Amelia Voltaris, come up here immediately!"

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