(Meanwhile, On Neutral Worlds Across The Universe, Hidden Cult Supporters POV)
The execution livestream was played across the universe, and the various neutral worlds were no exception, as even on special merchant planets or barren mining worlds, the execution livestream was played on big screens with thousands gathering to watch it live.
Amidst the crowd, blended amongst neutral planet locals, Righteous Faction traders, and wanted mercenaries, the Cult commoners joined in to watch the livestream as well, as although they masqueraded as Righteous citizens to avoid being exposed as Cult sympathizers, in their hearts they remained loyal to the Cult.
They stood quietly among the masses, faces carefully composed and postures relaxed, as the image of the Fourth Ring filled the screens, showing Leo moving alone amidst a sea of Monarch-tier enemies, his figure small yet unmistakable at the center of overwhelming chaos.
*BOOM*
*THRUMMM*
*KABOOM*
As explosions lit up the battlefield and Righteous Monarchs fell one after another, the hidden Cult supporters felt their pulses quicken, as something fierce and undeniable stirred within them.
*Clench*
*Gulp*
They did not shout or gasp like the civilians around them, as they understood the danger of being noticed, yet their clenched fists and shallow breaths betrayed what words could not, as pride and exhilaration surged through their veins at the sight of their Lord standing alone.
Initially, when Leo had charged towards the enemy alone, they had all felt genuinely worried for his safety, however, as the battle progressed and minutes passed, it became clear to them that their Lord was not in danger, but rather was the danger.
’Am I really not dreaming? Or is the Lord really taking on an army of Monarch’s alone?’
They wondered, as Leo continued to weave through attacks meant to annihilate entire legions while also advancing despite pressure that crippled others.
’That’s the power of the Cult’s teachings! That’s the bloodline of the Timeless Assassin!’
The hidden Cult citizens thought, as belief hardened inside them that the old prophecy was indeed true.
For generations they had all heard about how the Timeless Assassin would rise once again to lead the Cult to its former glory, however, as the centuries continued to pass, more and more individuals began to doubt the authenticity of that old tale, which was why, watching Leo fight today, the doubts they had once carried were all burned away, as they felt their faith in the old tale being restored.
’Please go on, Lord! Go on and kill all those heartless bastards who have suppressed us for so long!’
They prayed, as some remembered the nights spent hiding from the local authorities, while others remembered families lost to purges and accusations, as watching Leo fight became more than a spectacle for most, as it turned into proof that their faith had not been misplaced, nor their suffering meaningless.
As the livestream continued and murmurs of confusion spread among Righteous-aligned spectators, the Cult supporters felt something settle permanently in their souls, as they became certain that the modern Dragon candidates still carried within them the potential to become the next Timeless Assassin, if only they lived long enough to reach that destiny.
—-----------
(Meanwhile, Chaosbringer And Amanda)
Meanwhile on planet Ixtal, inside the temporary Skyshard quarters, Amanda and Chaosbringer also watched the execution livestream on a small TV, the two of them standing close enough to the screen that neither could bring themselves to look away even if they wanted to.
Chaosbringer hovered restlessly beside the display, long nails caught between his teeth as his eyes tracked every violent movement on the screen, his body reacting instinctively to each explosion as though the shockwaves might spill out of the broadcast and strike him next.
*BOOM*
*GASP*
Every time fire or debris swallowed Leo’s figure, Chaosbringer gasped sharply, breath hitching in his chest as his fingers curled tighter against his lips, panic flashing openly across his face before he could even think to suppress it.
And then the smoke would clear.
And Leo would still be standing.
As each time it happened, Chaosbringer released a long, shaky exhale, shoulders sagging with visible relief as his heart slowed, only for the tension to coil back into place moments later when another blast rocked the Fourth Ring.
*Tap*
*Tap*
He shifted his weight from foot to foot without awareness as his gaze remained glued to the screen, reactions exaggerated and unguarded, as though containing them would somehow tempt fate into striking harder.
While in complete contrast to him, Amanda stood beside him without moving at all.
With an unflinching expression and folded arms, she watched her husband fight alone against overwhelming odds, as she tried her best to keep her cool.
Unlike Chaosbringer, she did not flinch when explosions tore through the Fourth Ring, nor did her breath change when Leo vanished beneath collapsing stone or surging mana, her eyes never leaving the screen even for a moment, as she remained stoic, not because she did not care for Leo, but rather because she cared too much.
Amanda understood that the moment she allowed fear to surface, it would open the door to something she could not afford to face while Leo was still fighting, and so she held herself together through sheer will, keeping every emotion locked firmly in place, as she watched in silence instead.
’Honey please stay safe....’
She hoped secretly, as beneath that calm exterior, where no one else could see, she prayed relentlessly for Leo’s safe return, clinging to faith as tightly as Chaosbringer clung to the screen, trusting that the man she loved would survive what the universe had chosen to throw at him.
’If this is the path you chose, then walk it without regret... no matter where it leads you....’
She thought tightly, as she fixed her gaze on the screen and anchored herself to resolve rather than fear, accepting that this was not a moment to beg fate for mercy, but one to trust the strength of the man who had already decided to bear the weight of the Cult’s future alone.