Leon spread his wings, descending, and released his hold on Ruri.
Ruri looked around at the flattened ground. The monsters had vanished completely, as if they had never existed.
"Gulp!" She swallowed hard. "Is this the power of the Fated One? How incredible!"
She had never seen Leon unleash his power before. This was the first time—and she had to admit, it was truly impressive.
Leon noticed her awestruck expression and smiled. He gently patted her head. "Let's go."
"Um!" Ruri nodded eagerly.
She led Leon toward the Valley of a Thousand Whispers, only about five hundred meters away.
Since they were on a plateau, they had to descend to the bottom, where a vast valley awaited. It was flanked by two steep slopes on either side.
Leon summoned his holy power, staying alert for any threat.
But after only ten steps, the world before him shifted entirely.
The blue sky, bright sunlight, and lush greenery faded, replaced by a silent, dim, mist-shrouded gloom.
