When the two young men slowly emerged from the mist, Leo's gaze changed instantly.
It felt as if he had encountered a natural nemesis written into his fate. His entire body reacted on instinct, goosebumps breaking out as a sharp current shot up from his feet and raced through him, leaving his nerves tingling.
But the source of that reaction wasn't the two young men themselves.
It was the spear resting on the shoulder of the one dressed in hanfu.
The weapon was longer than its wielder was tall. Its shaft seemed forged from a metal that didn't exist in this world, while the spearhead was formed from pure, absolute holy power. Divine energy radiated from it so intensely that it was almost overwhelming.
Staring at that spear, Leo felt his devil instincts trembling, screaming at him to run. His expression turned grave in an instant.
With the traditional hanfu and that unmistakable weapon, Leo immediately understood who he was facing.
"So?" the man said lightly. "Curious about this spear, head of the Eligos family?"
He had already noticed Leo's wary gaze and calmly lowered the spear from his shoulder.
"Or have you already realized what it is?" he continued with a faint smile. "A Longinus that stands above your Zenith Tempest—the only Sacred Gear in this world whose power surpasses yours."
Leo's response was cool and restrained.
"The legendary Holy Spear?" he said flatly. "No wonder my instincts are screaming. If that thing showed up, this reaction makes perfect sense."
After all, it was the foremost of the Three Holy Relics, ranked first among the thirteen Longinus. The original—and strongest—Sacred Gear.
The True Longinus.
The spear that pierced the Son of God.
The spear that killed a god.
The spear stained with divine blood, capable of piercing deities themselves.
The very name "Longinus" came from this weapon. It was synonymous with a Sacred Gear capable of destroying gods and Maou alike.
From the Church's perspective, it was the ultimate relic.
To a devil like Leo, it was the embodiment of terror.
Now, that most powerful and legendary Longinus stood right before him. It was no surprise his instincts reacted so violently.
"My name is Cao Cao," the man said, grinning unabashedly at Leo while gazing at the Holy Spear. "Yes, that Cao Cao—the descendant of the one recorded in the Records of the Three Kingdoms. Care to say hello?"
"I heard the Sacred Gear ranked just below this one has appeared," Cao Cao continued casually. "And it's in the hands of a devil. As a descendant of heroes, and as the host of the Holy Spear, don't you think it's only natural that I come to meet you?"
Leo's expression didn't change.
"A greeting?" he replied with a faint smile. "Didn't you already do that last weekend?"
Cao Cao paused, then laughed dismissively.
"Oh, you mean those Old Maou Faction lackeys? Don't misunderstand—we're not on the same side."
"So you admit you're part of the same organization," Leo said calmly.
"Same organization, different factions," Cao Cao replied. "And we're destined never to be allies."
His tone sharpened.
"Remember this. I am Cao Cao of the Hero Faction. There will never be a devil—or any non-human existence—in the Hero Faction."
"Heroes must be human," he declared. "Isn't that obvious?"
From his words alone, it was clear how he viewed non-human beings.
It wasn't simple hostility.
It was battle intent. Challenge. Targeting.
To him, non-humans were enemies—but more than that, they were prey. Opponents that had to be challenged and defeated.
"That's the creed of the Hero Faction," Cao Cao said, lifting the Holy Spear. "Humans challenging the inhuman, proving that humanity isn't weak—that we are strong enough to overcome every race!"
The spearhead leveled directly at Leo.
"And you," he continued, voice brimming with excitement, "have the honor of becoming one of my chosen opponents."
The moment those words left his mouth, the air changed.
A flash of light erupted, shooting toward Leo at terrifying speed.
The tip of the Holy Spear trembled—and then the spear itself extended.
At an absurd rate.
The spearhead turned into a streak of light, firing out like a laser.
It was fast. Brutally fast.
If it were anyone else, dodging it would have been nearly impossible.
Unfortunately for Cao Cao, Leo Eligos wasn't just anyone.
From the instant Cao Cao appeared, Leo had been on full alert. His demonic power detection was spread wide, tracking every movement without missing a single detail.
So when Cao Cao raised the spear and aimed it at him, Leo already knew.
He's attacking next.
As the blinding flash arrived, Leo tilted his head slightly to the side.
"Boom!"
The beam roared past his shoulder and slammed into a distant hill.
The entire hill—dozens of meters tall—exploded in an instant.
"Oh?" Cao Cao raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Bold. Very bold. Facing a spear that can pierce gods and erase any demonic existence, and you dodge with such a tiny movement. Aren't you afraid of getting hit?"
Being struck by the Holy Spear was no joke.
Setting aside its sheer destructive power—enough to obliterate a mountain—the dense holy energy alone was enough to terrify any devil. Even a Maou would fear it.
Devils treated light as poison. Being cut by a Holy Sword could mean annihilation. If struck by the highest tier of holy weapons like Holy Relics, even the soul would be erased in an instant.
And the Holy Spear stood above them all—the strongest Sacred Gear, the strongest holy weapon, the thing devils feared most.
Even the so-called "Holy Cross," the Incinerate Anthem, couldn't compare to it.
Any other devil would desperately keep their distance.
Yet Leo dodged it like that.
Not bravery.
Madness.
And yet—
So what?
"You," Leo said calmly, ignoring the Holy Spear aimed at him, "are just a human. And yet you dare to stand before me, boldly declaring that you'll defeat all races and prove humanity supreme."
His eyes locked onto Cao Cao's.
"And I—born stronger than humans—should lack the courage to face my own weakness?"
"Don't look down on me, hero's descendant."
Cao Cao froze for a moment.
Then he burst into laughter.
"Well said! Truly well said!"
His gaze burned with excitement, shining as if he'd found the perfect opponent—the finest prey.
"Exactly!" he exclaimed. "How could someone chosen by me lack that kind of resolve?"
"You're right. I underestimated you, Leo Eligos."
"We weak humans dare to challenge you," Cao Cao continued, voice rising. "So how could you devils—born strong—lack the courage to face your own weaknesses?"
"That's how it should be. That's the bearing of a true powerhouse!"
Satisfied, Cao Cao retracted the Holy Spear, returning it to its original length and resting it on his shoulder.
"I'm glad I came to see you," he said. "Otherwise, I would've missed a powerful opponent."
"I thought the only devil capable of stirring this kind of battle spirit in me was Vali Lucifer. I didn't expect to find another one here."
"I'm truly lucky."
That name caught Leo's attention.
"Vali?"
"Don't worry about it," Cao Cao said with a grin. "He's another great opponent. Like you, he's a devil. With his love for battle, he'll probably come looking for you sooner or later."
Leo stared at him.
"On one condition," he said. "That I survive today. Right?"
At those words, Leo's demonic power ignited.
It roared to life, turning into blazing aura that erupted from his body. The violent surge distorted the air itself, throwing the surrounding mist into chaos like a raging storm.
Facing demonic power strong enough to make any High-Class Devil feel inferior, Cao Cao showed no fear.
Instead, his eyes grew brighter. His smile widened.
"Not bad at all," he said approvingly. "Your demonic power isn't much weaker than Vali's. And with Zenith Tempest—the Sacred Gear second only to the Holy Spear—it's no wonder you defeated Lafei Trix."
"It wasn't luck," Cao Cao continued, raising the Holy Spear once more. "It was inevitable."
"Don't misunderstand," he added. "I already said this visit was just to say hello. I'm not here to decide life and death."
"If I'm going to challenge you properly, I'll make full preparations. I'll even invite your servants along. Only then would it be a battle worth having."
"My goal today is simple," Cao Cao said as holy power gathered at the spear's tip. "I just want to see how strong the holder of Zenith Tempest really is."
"So come," he said, eyes gleaming. "Let's trade blows, head of the Eligos family."
Faced with such blatant provocation, Leo had only one answer.
"Exactly what I wanted."
Without hesitation, Leo poured his demonic power into his Sacred Gear. The purple aura flared white, releasing a Sacred Gear resonance no weaker than the Holy Spear itself.
And so, right here—
The first clash began.
The holders of the True Longinus and Zenith Tempest.
The two strongest Sacred Gears in this world.
Battle was inevitable.
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You can read up to chapter 166 on patreon.com/NiaXD.