Third Person's POV

As Essa finished telling what happened to Leo and Azrael, by that time, Raphael too returned to the living hall after carefully placing Ophis on the bed in the other room, her expression tense with worry and exhaustion.

And it's not like she told them everything, like she encountered Valra's father or anything—just that she found the champion by chance, nothing else.

Leo muttered, "So it's really Greed… ah? To think he was still alive… Hmm…" His voice trailed, an uneasy current running beneath his words, eyes narrowing with the weight of old memories.

Azrael and Raphael turned curious, and Leo explained how he knew that guy and when he finished saying.

"I hate that bastard already," Azrael said, his voice edged with venom and a murderous tone.

"If he shows his face again, I'll end him myself."

Raphael clenched her fist, the knuckles pale, "That champion, how dare he try to kill Leo…."

Leo smiled softly before turning to Essa and asked, "Okay, that solves the matter of finding the Relic… what about your other work?" He asked, as she told him before leaving, that she would take a day to get something for their help. His voice was gentler, yet expectant.

"You mentioned you needed a day. Did you find what you were looking for?"

Essa nodded as she stood up and raised her hand. Suddenly, a big pouch appeared, swirling with faint light. Then she poured out from the pouch.

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

… something fell out of the pouch.

Leo's eyes widened when he saw… white rune stones? Each stone gleamed with a pale, otherworldly glow,

There were so many of them.

Leo blinked as he touched the white stones… before looking up, "Where did you get all this?"

Essa said softly, "It's a gift from… my Master."

Leo blinked, "Your Master?"

Essa nodded, "It's a gift for your hard work… that's all and… no questions asked!"

Leo, who was ready to ask a question, suddenly halted before looking down. There were so many white rune stones—that means they don't need to worry about any life-threatening wounds.

He glanced at Azrael and Raphael, who were too curious just like him, but his eyes turned slightly hazy as he nodded, "Thank you," he said to Essa, who simply shrugged but added a warning,

"But do not use it frequently. As much as it heals your body, it also harms the natural healing properties of your body." Her voice grew firm, almost stern,

"The stones will close your wounds, mend your bones… but take from them too often, and you may forget how to heal on your own."

Leo nodded in understanding with a small smile. "We'll use them only if we must. I promise."

"And here," Essa then gave Leo a small note.

"What's this?" Leo took the notes, raising his eyebrows as he scanned the worn pages—notes about dealing with Camazotz, Nergal, even Dracula and… Caelindra?

Essa answered, "These are handwritten notes from my master. They're invaluable for dealing with those monsters."

Leo smiled gently, "I see… I actually read about them a few days ago in some old books—"

"Read this and you'll understand." Essa's tone grew urgent.

Before Leo could reply, Azrael reached out and took the booklet from his hands, asking,

"Can I?"

Leo nodded.

Azrael smiled before turning her attention to the notes, while Raphael sat nearby, still staring at the stones… as if some hidden memory tugged at her, a sense of familiarity she couldn't explain.

She wondered silently where it came from.

"Camazotz… He feeds on the fear of his enemies to sustain himself, so do not... Ever show a single moment of fear in front of him. He's just like the other bats, terrified of the sun. If you can't kill him outright, drag the fight until sunrise," Azrael read aloud, her voice colored by a trace of surprise.

Leo nodded quietly… Those were the same as in the books he read.

"Next, Nergal… Just provoke him. If you make him angry, he'll turn his own weapons against his allies! Also, don't let him near people. As long as he can't absorb anyone's Mana essence, he becomes far easier to defeat."

Azrael paused, blinking, genuinely surprised by the brutal clarity of the advice.

Leo nodded again.... It was just as the books described!

"Dracula… is a Pseudo Stage Four Mage."

Azrael frowned, puzzled. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, glancing at Essa for clarification.

Essa explained, "Pseudo Stage Four… It's a forced kind of power. Achieving true Stage Four is nearly impossible."

"Impossible?" Leo echoed in disbelief.

Essa shook her head.

"Not impossible… Just—almost. To reach Stage Four, you need time, strength, and something beyond mortal limits.

Only a handful throughout history have ever truly attained it."

She drew a slow breath, voice dropping to a near whisper. "Pseudo Stage Four is… different. It's like a shortcut—a twisted one.

They force power into themselves by stealing it from others: drawing mana from the world or... Devouring the strength of other humans to rise beyond their natural limits or... Draining from their own-"

"Their own blood kin?" Leo finished.

Essa nodded gravely, "Yes. Last time, Dracula nearly reached the peak of Pseudo Stage Four by draining Ophis's energy. He's been doing this to all his kin, feeding on their blood, their mana, to climb higher.

No matter whether Ophis succeeded in her mission or not… that man would have drained her dry in the end."

Everyone's face turned pale.

Leo clenched his fist, muttering through clenched teeth, "So… he'll come for her, won't he?"

Essa nodded, "Yes. Since he lost all of his energy to her, and even if he received energy back from the Mana stone they somehow obtained… It's impossible for him to reach the peak without her. He needs her to achieve true Stage Four."

Azrael's face turned deeply serious, her eyes hard. "So it's better we kill him off before he gets the chance?"

Leo shook his head slowly, voice heavy, "That's the thing… He's hard to kill."

Essa nodded, "Just read the notes… My master wrote the best advice you'll get."

Azrael nodded as she started reading aloud again,

"Dracula is a Pseudo Stage Four Mage. So at least ten Stage Three mages are required to deal with him."

Everyone's face turned pale; the number alone was enough to crush any hope of easy victory.

Essa gestured to Azrael, encouraging her to continue.

Azrael's eyes flicked back to the page. "The abilities he possesses are still unknown, as he rarely fights others. Even if he does… ninety-nine percent of the time, death will be the result. So, no one should confront him except champions—unless his own daughter is ready to face him."

The room fell silent.

Essa nodded, eyes determined, "That's where I come in… I will deal with him directly."

Leo hesitated, words catching in his throat, "I… I don't think—"

"It's fine," Essa cut him off gently, "My master's words are clear, so don't worry."

Leo bit his lip before exhaling, frustration and concern etched across his face.

Azrael continued to the next part, voice softer as she glanced at Leo, "Caelindra… the woman you love?" She paused, looking at Essa, who also appeared surprised, then pointed at Leo,

"I don't know… maybe my master saw something we didn't."

Leo flinched, "What the hell... don't drag me into this! I don't love… I mean… I do… but only as a friend."

His words came out rushed and uncertain, his face flushing with embarrassment.

Azrael and Raphael narrowed their eyes at him, suspicion written across their faces.

"Are you sure?"

Their voices pressed him.

Leo nodded quickly, a bead of sweat trickling down his face, "Yeah… I'm sure."

But his tone was anything but convincing.

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