613.
Late at night.
Chelsea gazed uneasily at the palace of Tengken.
Despite the passage of a long time, there was still no word from Leo and Celia.
‘They said the Spirit Realm can alter the flow of time.’
It had only been half a day since Leo entered the palace.
Yet Chelsea already felt restless.
She wasn’t actually worried about Leo.
No matter what, Kyle, the Hero of Beginning, was someone incomparable.
Even if Leo was in the Spirit Realm, there was no doubt he could handle it.
The troubling matter was the news reaching from Rodren.
‘Who could have done such a thing?’
On top of the report that Toruah and Reina had been kidnapped after losing consciousness.
Chelsea bit her lip, fearing how Leo would react upon hearing this news.
‘How could something like this happen right under Zerdinger’s nose?’
While the location where Toruah was held was a battlefield with rebels, it was different for Reina.
Her location boasted security rivaling the imperial capital.
A major incident in Feyon.
What’s more, the target wasn’t just anyone—it was Reina.
Reina was no longer part of Zerdinger’s direct lineage, nor was she a key figure.
She was merely the lady of a noble family from a remote kingdom.
The only special thing about Reina was one fact—
That she was Leo’s mother.
It was easy to see who was being targeted by kidnapping Reina.
‘The traitors?’
Chelsea thought of the Hero Hunters.
‘Or another enemy from within?’
Just as Chelsea clenched her fist, she heard—
Whoosh—
A winter breeze blew.
In that moment, Chelsea’s eyes sharpened.
Snap!
Drawing her staff, Chelsea spun around and began casting a spell.
A sharp blade of wind swirled around the approaching figure.
“Wow, Chelsea is impressive. Are you third-year students for real?”
The voice sounded impressed.
“Anyas Beggs?”
Though not close friends, Chelsea recognized Anyas, the daughter of the northern magic tower master, from a few prior encounters. She was a half-elf.
Seeing Anyas now, Chelsea’s expression turned slightly awkward.
There was no reason for her to be here.
Noticing Chelsea’s surprise, Anyas spoke.
“I came to deliver a message to Lord Leo. Since he isn’t here, I’ll tell you instead.”
“Why are you telling me?”
“Lord Leo previously instructed that if he were absent, to convey the message to Lady Lewalyn.”
Anyas’ eyes gleamed.
Seeing this, Chelsea thought of someone else.
‘Aunt?’
The steward of the royal magic library and current head of the Lewalyn family, Cherna Lewalyn.
Though officially these were her roles, in truth she was the shadow leader of the Lewalyn family.
Chelsea didn’t know this fact.
Still, somehow, she sensed a similar aura from Anyas as she did from her aunt.
After briefly contemplating Cherna, Chelsea shook off her thoughts and asked,
“What do you wish to convey?”
“The identity of the kidnapper and those involved in Lady Reina’s abduction.”
“Who is it?”
Chelsea’s face hardened instantly.
Seeing this, Anyas continued,
“The Hero Slayer. And as for the collaborators suspected—”
Anyas hesitated then sighed,
“The Elder Council of Zerdinger.”
At this revelation, Chelsea’s eyes widened in shock.
At that moment—
Booooom!
The palace began to shake.
Both Chelsea and Anyas turned their heads towards the palace, alarmed.
Whoosh!
Leo dodged the flickering blue flames before him.
‘The power of the Purifying Spirit.’
Indeed, Celia had been strengthened in every aspect.
The flames’ firepower, strength, and speed had increased significantly.
Bang!
When Celia struck the ground with her sword, a massive wave of flames surged forth.
Having evaded it, Leo remarked,
“But your skills have only become brute force.”
Her swordsmanship had regressed.
After all, what need would a spirit have for refining sword techniques?
She merely swung her sword in simple motions.
“Even worse than the original Celia.”
Whoosh!
With an idle expression, Leo avoided Celia’s sword aimed at his head.
And then—
Bang!
“Gaah!”
A straight uppercut struck Celia in the stomach.
Hwirrr! Bang!
Celia was sent flying, colliding into the palace wall.
However, protected by Spirit Armor, Celia quickly rose without much damage.
Her magnificent red dress emitted an even stronger burst of flames, intensifying compared to before.
Seeing Celia charge with these more powerful flames, Leo flexed his fists.
He then slammed his fist down onto Celia’s head.
Bang!
Celia was slammed into the ground.
Leo pressed his foot onto her back.
Bang!
Celia’s body broke through the floor and crashed into the lower level.
Seeing this, Rael looked startled.
“Le, Lord Leo, don’t you think you’re being a bit too rough with an unconscious Celia?”
To Rael’s question, Leo replied nonchalantly,
“Exactly why I deem it too rough.”
“I..?”
“I’ve never taught anyone to easily relinquish control of their body.”
With an expression of disapproval, Leo glanced at Celia.
Since the day they met, Celia had been training alongside Leo.
Granted, he hadn’t taught her sword techniques or how to manipulate aura.
Still, under his guidance, she had honed combat knowledge, physical endurance, and mental strength to have no shortcomings.
And still, despite her status as a Great Spirit, Celia’s act of losing consciousness and surrendering her body was something Leo found difficult to tolerate.
“Argh? You lack perseverance!”
“That… can perseverance fix such issues…?”
Before Rael could dissuade him, Leo leaped down to the lower level toward Celia.
Seeing Celia trying to rise, Leo frowned.
“It seems I’ve been too lenient in training you.”
At this, Celia’s hand paused mid-reach for her sword.
“Should… I train more strictly going forward?”
Celia’s body trembled.
“Don’t… make me laugh…”
Celia’s body erupted in a burst of aura flames.
The crimson fire of Zerdinger expelled the blue flames.
Hiss!
Even the superior spirit sword and dress yielded to Celia’s inferno.
“When have you ever trained me lightly?! You’ve always tortured me! And now? You speak of stricter training? How dare you call yourself human!”
As Celia scolded and wagged her finger at Leo, he crossed his arms coolly.
“You’ve finally regained your senses.”
“Whenever I lose control of my body, it’s proof of my inadequacy. Truly, perseverance needs severe training.”
“You occasionally remind me of an old fogy, you know?”
Celia shouted with such frustration that she stomped her feet.
“Still, you—”
“What!”
“Get dressed.”
“Huh?”
At this, Celia glanced down at herself in confusion.
Her white skin flushed a deep red.
“What is this madness!”
Clutching her body, Celia crouched down in embarrassment as Leo watched indifferently.
“Apparently, that dress incinerated all your clothes.”
“That perverted spirit! I’ll k*ll it!”
As Celia glared murderously, Leo, shaking his head, retrieved clothes from a subspace and handed them to her before turning away.
With a deep sigh, Celia quickly changed into the clothes.
“By the way, how should we handle the Purifying Spirit?”
At Celia’s worried expression, Leo replied,
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
“Huh?”
Just as Celia showed a puzzled look,
Roooom!
The palace began shaking.
In confusion, Celia asked,
“What is that?”
“The Spirit Realm is collapsing.”
This place was not merely a palace but a domain connected to the Great Purifying Spirit Ista.
When Ista suddenly loses control over here, it collapses.
“What? Should we escape?”
“Within a Spirit Realm, escaping is more difficult. Just stay here.”
“Just stay here? If the collapse engulfs us what will we do?”
“It’s just a mere building collapsing.”
“A mere collapse of such a huge palace?!”
Leo casually seated himself in a chair in the corner.
“At this level, we won’t d*e.”
“But what if we sustain serious injuries?”
“After all the training I’ve given you? You wouldn’t be so easily harmed from something like this.”
“Hey! You…”
Roooom!
Celia shouted pale-faced.
Shortly after, the Tengken palace crumbled.
“What happened?!”
Abad, running breathlessly, looked at the fallen palace with bewilderment.
Despite the colossal palace crumbling, there was no damage to the surroundings.
It was as if the palace alone had neatly collapsed.
Crash…crash…
Something stirred from the palace ruins.
Crash!
“Seriously!”
Celia, emerging from the debris, looked utterly exasperated.
“When a palace collapses, you should think about escaping! Where in the world do people let themselves get crushed thinking they won’t d*e?”
“Celia! Are you alright?”
“I’m fine… ”
Seeing Abad rush to her and anxiously touch her shoulder, Celia appeared flustered.
Abad let out a sigh of relief.
“You’re safe.”
Though they had known each other a long time, this reaction was new to Celia, and she scratched her cheek awkwardly, avoiding eye contact.
“Of course. I’m perfectly fine.”
“What about Brother Leo?”
Chelsea approached hastily.
“Leo…should be—”
“There he is.”
The response came instead from none other than Anyas.
“Who is she?”
“Anyas Beggs?”
At the sudden appearance of the half-elf, Celia looked curious while Abad appeared perplexed.
With a smile, Anyas glanced at the pair before murmuring, spotting Leo sitting nonchalantly at the highest point among the debris.
“Looks like a throne.”
Leo’s tranquil sitting figure carried an overwhelming sense of authority.
Meanwhile, in Leo’s eyes, a vision emerged of Ista, the superior fire spirit, kneeling helplessly amidst the ruins.
In front of her stood Elsi.
Alcia knelt before the present Elsi and acknowledged,
-Our new master.
-Master.
All the fire spirits within Ista’s realm were kneeling before Elsi.
At this scene, Rael wore an expression of disbelief.
-The world… the Spirit of Darkness reigning over fire spirits?
Could such a thing even be possible?
Leo glanced at this awe-inspiring spectacle and smirked faintly.
“Come to think of it, I’ve heard tales of such existence from the distant ancient times.”
The most noble spirit.
The legendary entity ruling over all spirits.
A name long forgotten in the present times.
“The Spirit King.”
Under the moonlight, Elsi’s figure evokes reminiscences of 5,000 years ago.
‘The one who subdued the Demon King’s army and turned an impossible battle into victory.’
However, Elsi herself too vanished, having expended too much power.
As Leo rose from his seat, staring at Elsi,
“Brother Leo!”
Chelsea ran up in a hurry.
“Reina-san! Reina-san was kidnapped!”
At this, Leo’s expression vanished.
Whoosh—
Thud.
Chelsea, approaching Leo, suddenly felt her legs give way beneath her without realizing it.
Not just Chelsea.
Those around her all gasped for air.
Whoosh—
The wind blowing under the moonlight flutters the white hair.
Leo’s red pupils gleamed fiercely.
“What did you say?”
![[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1743806812-5548-TS-The-Protagonist-is-Conquered.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered")
