After the smoke and dust cleared, all of Mary Geoise had become a deep crater.
The ground where white palaces and noble residences had once stood was covered in a thick layer of scorched earth. The soil at the bottom had been baked into dark glass by the intense heat, its surface riddled with cracks and scattered rubble.
He sensed one remaining sign of life beneath the soil far in the distance.
At the bottom of the crater, a loose mound of scorched earth suddenly bulged slightly.
A battered, bleeding arm shot out of the rubble, its five fingers splayed. The skin on the fingers was charred black, and most of the fingernails had shattered.
Leo grinned, showing his white teeth.
"Still alive, just as I thought. That's Imu for you."
He flew straight over and stopped near the mound.
The mound at the bottom of the crater exploded, and a black figure shot into the sky before crashing down heavily a short distance in front of Leo.
The instant he landed, a ring of radiating cracks spread across the ground, sending rubble flying in every direction.
It was the supreme ruler of the World Government—Saint Imu.
He was a sorry sight. Wounds deep enough to expose bone covered his body, and blood kept seeping out, running down his skin and dripping onto the charred soil with faint hisses.
The two curved horns on his head were half shattered. His breathing was heavy and rapid, his chest heaving as his crimson eyes remained fixed on Leo.
Leo clapped his hands.
"Impressive. You survived even that. You deserve a round of applause."
Imu panted, his chest heaving as he stared darkly at Leo before him.
"Thou hast angered me."
"All right, spare me the nonsense."
Leo cut him off.
"I'll give