When Leon touched down at the third dungeon site, still carrying Seraphine in his arms, they were greeted by a very different scene from the previous locations. Unlike the panicked guards who had fled at the mere sight of him, or the calculated stillness of those who recognized the white-haired devil, these guards stood their ground with stubborn pride.

There were six of them manning the outpost, their armor bearing the insignia of the kingdom they had served faithfully for years. Their weapons remained at the ready as Leon gently set Seraphine down, her feet touching the ground with apparent reluctance.

"Halt! State your business here!" the lead guard barked, stepping forward with his spear leveled. His voice carried the authority of someone used to being obeyed. "This is a restricted dungeon site under royal decree!"

Leon raised an eyebrow, more amused than annoyed. These guards clearly didn't recognize him—the stories of the white-haired devil hadn't reached this far into the kingdom's remote borders. Even more surprising, they seemed to completely ignore Seraphine's presence, despite her distinctive purple hair and the fact that she should have been recognizable as the General of the West.

"You need to leave immediately," another guard added, his tone brooking no argument. "Unauthorized personnel are not permitted within fifty meters of an active dungeon site."

Seraphine stepped forward, her expression shifting to one of cold authority. "Do you not recognize who stands before you? I am Commander Seraphine, Commander of the Western Forces."

The guards exchanged glances, but their stance remained firm. The lead guard shook his head dismissively.

"General or not, these are direct orders from the crown. No exceptions. The king's word is absolute, and we serve the kingdom's interests above all else."

Leon almost smiled at the irony. These loyal soldiers, stationed at the remote edges of the kingdom, had no idea that their beloved king had died just yesterday—killed by the very person they were now trying to turn away. The pride in their voices when they spoke of serving the crown was almost touching in its ignorance.

"The king, you say?" Leon said softly, his tone deceptively casual. "And what would you do if I told you the king was dead?"

The guards bristled at what they perceived as an insult to their monarch.

"How dare you speak treason!" the lead guard snarled, raising his spear higher. "That's enough! You'll both be arrested for sedition against the crown!"

Leon sighed. He had no intention of killing these men—they were simply doing their duty as they understood it, loyal to a kingdom that no longer existed as they knew it. But their stubborn pride meant they wouldn't listen to reason, and he needed access to this dungeon.

"Seraphine, step back," he said quietly.

She complied immediately, recognizing the tone in his voice, and she wasn't even interested in fighting these small fries.

Leon moved.

He didn't use mana, didn't enhance his speed or strength with magic. Just pure physical capability, still restrained to a fraction of his true potential. To the guards, he vanished from their sight.

The first guard's spear was torn from his hands before he could react. The second found himself lifted off the ground by his armor and thrown into a nearby tree with enough force to leave him gasping but not permanently injured. The third tried to draw his sword but found his arm twisted behind his back in a submission hold that left him crying out in pain.

Leon moved through all six guards in less than ten seconds, each one receiving a thorough but non-lethal beating. Broken noses, dislocated shoulders, severe bruising—painful reminders of their encounter, but nothing that wouldn't heal with proper care.

When the violence ended, all six guards lay groaning on the ground, their weapons scattered and their pride thoroughly shattered. The lead guard struggled to sit up, blood streaming from his nose, staring at Leon with a mixture of terror and confusion.

"W-who are you?" he whispered.

"Someone whose name you don't want to know," Leon replied. "Take your men and leave. Find the nearest town and stay there. The kingdom you served is gone."

The guards needed no further encouragement. Helping each other to their feet, nursing their injuries, they limped away as quickly as their battered bodies would allow. Their proud defiance had been replaced by the same fear that had driven the other guards to flee, though they had learned it the hard way.

With the area cleared, Leon turned his attention to the dungeon itself.

The portal was larger than either of the previous two, its blue energy swirling in chaotic patterns that spoke of instability and immense potential. Leon used the device again to measure the capacity and requirements.

His eyes widened slightly. "This one's a rating of 9," he said to Seraphine, unable to keep a note of excitement from his voice. "It can accommodate 180 people."

The thrill of discovery coursed through him. A rating 9 dungeon was rare, and its value was beyond measure due to the sheer number of people it could awaken simultaneously. The fact that such a powerful dungeon existed in this remote location was almost too good to be true.

The only disappointment was that he didn't have 180 people remaining to fill it completely. But that didn't matter—even partially filled, this dungeon would provide incredible value.

"It's a pity I don't have enough people to maximize its potential," he mused, studying the swirling portal. "But it won't matter in the long run."

Like the previous dungeon, this one was unstable, its chaotic energy patterns demanding massive amounts of mana to stabilize. Leon stepped forward, raising both hands toward the churning blue mass.

The drain was immediate and vicious. This dungeon was even hungrier than the second, its massive capacity requiring proportionally more energy to satisfy. Leon felt his mana reserves emptying in great gulps as the portal consumed his power, its chaotic fluctuations slowly beginning to smooth out.

When his reserves were drained entirely, he stepped back. He sat down to meditate, drawing ambient mana from the environment to refill what had been lost. Seraphine stood guard, though both of them knew nothing in this area could pose a threat.

Thirty minutes later, he repeated the process. Then again. The massive dungeon required three full drains of his enormous mana reserves before it finally snapped into stable formation, the chaotic blue energy settling into a steady, powerful gateway that hummed with satisfied potential.

CRACK-BOOM!

The sound echoed across the empty landscape as the dungeon achieved perfect stability. The portal stood before them like a monument to raw power, larger and more impressive than any they had encountered.

After another brief meditation to restore the mana needed for his dimensional portal, Leon stood and raised his hand. The familiar silver-white energy began to form, creating a bridge between dimensions that would bring forth his remaining people.

CRACK-WHOOSH!

The portal expanded to its full size, and Leon stepped through briefly before emerging again with his final group.

One hundred people poured out, the last of his dimensional refugees. They were the same mix of desperate hope and determined courage that had characterized all the others. Still, Leon's eyes immediately focused on two specific figures.

The giant man with abyssal affinity stood among them, his massive frame unmistakable even in the crowd. His presence still caused the same strange reaction in Leon's divine senses, the abyssal energy seeming to resonate with something deep within his own power. The man's face remained as emotionless as ever, showing no sign of recognition or concern about what lay ahead.

Beside him walked the blue-haired girl who had once been a toddler clinging to his side. Six years in the dimensional space had transformed her into a teenager; her blue eyes were bright with intelligence, and her blue hair caught the light as it flowed around her shoulders. She was undeniably cute, her features having developed from childish roundness into the graceful lines of approaching womanhood.

Most striking was the way she held the giant man's hand playfully, a genuine smile on her face as she looked up at him with obvious affection. The contrast between her cheerful demeanor and his stoic silence was remarkable. Yet, there was clearly a deep bond between them.

Different thoughts raced through Leon's mind as he watched them approach the dungeon entrance. The girl's growth, her relationship with the giant, the implications of sending someone with abyssal affinity into a dungeon meant for awakening—there were variables he couldn't fully predict or control.

What will happen when abyssal affinity awakens within him? he wondered. Will it enhance his power unnaturally or interfere with it?

But he pushed those concerns aside for now. Whatever happened would happen, and he would deal with the consequences when they arose.

"Enter immediately," Leon commanded, gesturing toward the massive blue portal. "Don't waste time."

The group surged forward, the giant and the blue-haired girl among them. As they approached the dungeon entrance, Leon noticed the girl's excitement; her playful demeanor remained unchanged, even in the face of the unknown. The giant remained as impassive as ever, but he kept her hand in his, protective despite his lack of visible emotion.

I'll deal with whatever comes after they're out, Leon decided, watching as the last of his people disappeared into the dungeon. For now, they have their chance at awakening.

The portal sealed behind them, leaving Leon and Seraphine alone once more in the empty landscape, surrounded by the scattered equipment of the beaten guards and the lingering echoes of possibility.

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