(Leon's Backstory and Final Moments)
I saw it all.
Everything that I once knew was wrong. It didn't matter if I had been the strongest or the toughest.
No.
It didn't matter.
The boy sliced me in half… That sick bastard cut me in half with his move! But why? Why must I die this way?
It all happened in a flash. One second I was fighting the four of them, and the next, I was dead on the ground!?
But wait… If I'm dead… does that mean… I'm free now?
Yes…
Ever since I was young, I've been trained to endure the hardships of a man. I am not a human, nor an animal. I was Leon— or so I was.
My father was a decent man. Though we never had a strong connection, he still taught me the way of life—how being strong meant never feeling weak. You see, when you're the strongest person around, nobody will ever bother you… nobody can hurt you because you'll feel no harm. But one thing I forgot was… there are always bigger fish in the sea.
I'm not sure when it started or how I got to where I had gotten, but this place used to be so beautiful. When I was a little kid, I enjoyed the long walks I had with my mother. My mother was a sweet lady. I owe her everything—can't say much about my father though… I remember when she would sing me to bed every time night fell into darkness and nothing but the stars could be seen. My older sister was also an angel who loved me dearly. We used to play together with the other kids when everything was peaceful.
But then everything changed.
One day, one night, my father snapped and went on a rampage. Nobody knew what was happening… everyone was scared. I watched as my father tore through the limbs of the innocent and devoured the weak. My heart broke as I saw my friends being devoured by the man I had loved my whole life. The screams ring in my ears as I hear them plead for help.
When my father made his way toward us, my mother was the first to shield me and my sister, but of course, she was no match. Her head was easily cut off by my father, and soon my sister would join my mother's fate.
"Stand up, Leon," my father said as he pointed toward the corpses of my mother and sister. "Eat them now."
I hesitated.
"N-No… w-why would I even do that?! Why are you doing this?!"
"When orders are given, you follow them, alright? There are no exceptions for the weak, my boy."
"The weak!?! Do you even hear what you're saying right now, Father!?" I pleaded and cried. "You slaughtered everyone because of their weakness!?"
My father glared at me with his menacing eyes.
"Be grateful I spared you, Leon, because I can kill you right now just like these two. And trust me… I will."
My eyes lingered toward the corpses of my dead mother and sister.
My father noticed and dragged me toward them. I tried to break free, but I couldn't—because I was weak.
"Eat it, or I'll make you do it the hard way, Leon… Don't make me do it that way…"
I don't want to remember what happened next, but you can probably tell what went on. I passed out from it.
When I awoke, my eyes were met by the glares of my father and a beast I hadn't seen before. And that's when I first met him… Michi.
"He's finally awake, Chief," Michi said as he pulled me closer to examine me.
"Yes, yes. This is my son, Leon," my father stated. "He's a very strong man—I can promise you that, sir!"
"What's going on!?! What're you doing!?" I said, barely able to speak due to the dryness of my mouth.
"From now on, Leon, you will serve under Michi's orders!"
My mind went blank trying to process what was happening…
"What do you mean…? Orders?"
Michi interrupted briefly.
"I need some strong recruits, lad. Your father here says you have potential to be something special. He offered me a strong soldier, and I will grant him a stay in my new empire…"
"E-Empire? Your e-empire!?!"
"I plan to take over small villages and towns in the name of my new religion. Everything the people have thought about and known about the world is false now! Zara is not a god any longer! I will be the world's god!"
"You're insane… No way you can be that! I want to go home now…"
"You don't belong to your father anymore, Leon… you belong to me…"
After that, I began to spend all of my day and night surviving the harsh tasks Michi put me through. Hunger and thirst were in denial, because if I hadn't completed anything in a single day, I would be locked up and beaten with a blade. He would pierce cuts through me and leave me weak enough to barely keep my consciousness. But he would never let me die. Every time I felt like my life was breaking, I would be resurrected somehow. I don't know if it was his Seikai abilities or something else, but I know I was just a slave to him.
The years kept on passing, and the more I grew older, the more I began to adapt to the new environment. Soon, I was able to handle the pain he caused. I never heard from my father much—only when he came at Michi's request. Even then, he still ignored me as if I meant nothing to him.
"He sees you as a weakling, Leon… You don't mean anything to that man."
"If you want to be the best, you have to be the strongest you possibly can!"
My father, throughout the years, was also on his own journey to regrow our tribe—which he once slaughtered years ago. My mother and sister's deaths never went away. The hatred I felt for my father only grew as Michi buried me deeper in resentment.
Everything was the same until…
Michi requested me to his calling one night and demanded a new type of task. One that involved the annihilation of my father.
"I need you to kill him, Leon… and if you do so, I will grant you the title of Beastmaker," he said, standing menacingly.
I paused for a bit…
"If you are successful in your mission, you will take over your father's place in my new empire."
Although he was my father, I still felt I needed to be the one to avenge everyone he had once massacred. So I went back to the place I once called home.
The guards tried to fight me off, but they were no match for the power I had awakened inside me. Eventually, I made it to my father.
I stared at him with a deep look… and the battle commenced.
He clawed at me, but it was nothing but child's play.
Blow after blow he struck, but I easily parried his attacks with just a single hand.
My father was no match for me, so when it came time to end him, he tried to beg for mercy.
"P-Please, Leon…" he coughed up blood. "D-Don't d-d-do this… I—I'm your father…"
My eyes glared into his, and I remembered once more.
"My father has been dead since the day he decided to do what he did."
"Leon… no…" he said weakly.
"Asking for mercy is for the weak. I am a warrior… there is no such thing as mercy."
In an instant, I slashed his head right off with a singular claw and watched as his body fell onto the hard ground.
I'd done it… I was now the most powerful man in the tribe.
I picked up my father's head off the ground and walked out to see the entire tribe staring at me.
"I am your new king…" I said as I tossed the head up and cut it into small bits.
The years went by. The empire grew—and so did my skills. I was on top of the world. It felt like I was a god ruling his kingdom. Nobody could stop me, and anyone who opposed me was slaughtered into pieces by my own hands.
And just like before, things had to take a turn—for better or worse…
One random night, when the moon lit up bright red, an alert for an intruder rang across my land. The soldiers were first to be sent off to fight, but they were wiped out in minutes… My royal guards were also no match for the intruder!
So it was up to me again.
A young boy approached my castle gates and instantly clashed his fist with mine.
He was the strongest opponent I had faced so far—but still, he was too weak. I could feel it.
My roars echoed through the castle rooms as I chased after him, running from room to room, trying to catch him in my beastly wrath!
He fought back as hard as he could. I could tell he was cocky, but his ignorance was a false reality. Everyone he had beaten before me was just a joke. I was the one who was going to kill him!
When suddenly, another man stepped in—blocking my attack.
"Master Shu!" the young boy yelled in relief.
"It took me a while to get here, Pepper… You know how it is with a man my age," he said, exchanging looks with me.
Anger and rage flooded across my body as I saw the boy be rescued by who he called his master.
In an instant, I sprinted into action, clawing at him—but I was slammed into a wall instead!
I came in for another attack—faster this time—but was met with a head-on punch from Master Shu and sent back.
The two of us went into action!
Master Shu jumped into the air.
Wind Style: Razor Winds!
He released two wind cutters toward me, which I sent back—but suddenly, he flash-stepped.
Seishen Technique: Howling Beast!
He launched a barrage of punches on me and ended the sequence with a kick—straight into the throne where I once sat.
In a fit of rage, I began releasing my Seikai into the air. My Seikai flowed through my body as I released my ultimate form.
I pounced.
Master Shu dodged—barely—and looked at me.
I was now a full-on killer machine. My eyes glowed bright red, and my muscles expanded into something else.
"I'm gonna demolish you, old man!"
I grabbed Master Shu and swung him through the door and out into the forest.
"Master Shu!" Pepper yelled, chasing after us.
As Shu flew through the forest, struggling to catch his footing, I ambushed him and sent him flying into the air with a powerful blow.
"Gah!" Shu let out.
In the air, Shu thought quickly.
Wind Style: Flying Vortex!
As he fell, he released a vortex at me—distracting me.
He flash-stepped and landed a direct punch on my cheek, sending me back.
Shu, exhausted, struggled to stand. His wounds from the previous attacks were bleeding worse than ever.
Pepper arrived.
I took a stance, determined to finish Shu off—and then massacre Pepper.
Shu knew he was running out of time, so with a last-ditch effort, he told the young Pepper to run away.
Pepper refused.
But Shu's voice made him run.
"This is my final request, my apprentice… The two of us will be dead after this," Shu said, looking at Pepper.
"Dead!? Are you crazy, old man!?" I responded.
Predator: The Great Massacre
I flung myself at Shu.
He took a stance.
Seishen Technique: Draining Seikai!
Seikai flowed through Shu's body and soul as he stopped me in my tracks—draining my Seikai.
I fell, pain ripping through me, my body going numb.
Shu released all of his Seikai, struggling to keep me down.
I watched as he collapsed.
My eyes began to fade…
When I woke up, Michi stood directly in front of me.
"You've failed me, you useless beast," he said as he walked away.
I stood up and limped toward the palace, weak.
My Seikai felt drained. I wasn't the same anymore. My abilities didn't work. Nor did my awakening.
I spent years in isolation after that loss, no longer of use to Michi.
I tried my hardest to regain my old ways, but it was difficult…
Then one day, the young boy returned. As the door opened, I sensed his presence again.
It all happened so quickly. The next thing I knew, a shuriken flew toward me—and I couldn't do anything.
My body felt numb again. The feeling of death overwhelmed me.
Was this really how I died?
Am I really going to die?
I don't want to die yet… I still have so much to accomplish.
But… maybe…
What if I didn't have to work for Michi again?
What if I just let it all go—and ran away?
My mother and sister appeared before my eyes… and soon, a beautiful forest.
It felt like where we once lived… the ponds and rivers… the birds chirping…
I didn't want to be a warrior.
I wanted to be a kid.