Chapter 283: Gun Chapter 283: Gun While Lily was snuggling against Leo, her arm draped lazily over him, she noticed a strange metallic object resting in his hands. Her brows knit together slightly. Leo was holding what looked like a gun—but its structure was crude, uneven in places, the edges still rough. It didn’t look like something that would actually function. He had been shaping it by hand using his metal manipulation skill during his free time, but with his current proficiency, the finer mechanisms—like the firing pin and hammer—remained imperfect. "What’s that, Leo?" she asked, tilting her head as her fingers lightly brushed the cold surface. "This is called a gun," Leo replied, his tone casual. "It shoots fast metallic projectiles." "Metallic projectiles?" Lily leaned closer, curiosity flickering in her eyes. She raised a finger and pointed at the barrel. "They come out of this hole?" Then she paused, her lips pursing slightly. "But... wouldn’t they be weak? I don’t think they can ever pierce my skin." Leo flicked her forehead lightly. "Why would I allow something to pierce your skin?" he said flatly. "I just wanted to try something." His gaze returned to the gun, turning it slightly in his hand, inspecting its flaws. Lily wasn’t wrong. In its current state, it wouldn’t even tickle a beast master. And even if it worked, he would still need gunpowder, bullets, cartridges... Though those could be obtained easily— He paused. Nah... what would gunpowder even achieve? His eyes narrowed slightly as the thought shifted. Magic. That was the missing piece. If this weapon were to function in a world filled with magical beings, then it needed to incorporate magic itself. In a world where no modern weaponry existed, a single revolutionary tool could completely alter the course of battle—especially one that didn’t rely on the user’s magic. After a bit of scrolling through his phone, Leo came to a conclusion. Runic magic. That was what he needed to integrate into the design. With that final thought settling in his mind, Leo lay back, his thoughts still churning—until a soft warmth pressed against his forehead. Lily had leaned in and kissed him gently. The tension in his mind dissolved instantly. A good woman by your side is all you need... --- The next morning, Lily confirmed with the girls that everything was clear—no spies among them. After a satisfying breakfast, the group headed toward the arena, riding on Brok’s large eagle. The wind rushed past them as they descended at the landing site, drawing plenty of attention. Many students cast jealous glances at Brok, realizing he had become the permanent ride for members of the top 10. "Sir Leo! Sir Leon!" a voice called out, cutting through the noise. They turned. A man with short stature and black hair approached them, his appearance even more unremarkable than Leo’s average looks. Brok recognized him instantly. "Zakir..." he muttered, his expression darkening. Zakir stopped in front of them and bowed slightly. "Sir! Why are you using such slow rides like this fellow?" he said with a wide smile. "Come to me. My eagle is even bigger than his—faster, more comfortable. Not like his stuck beast that hasn’t ranked up even the slightest in 2 years." "That’s because of you!" Brok snapped, anger flashing across his face. "You made me join that rip-off territory—talking about a good leader and location! Turns out, they were nothing but plunderers!" Zakir shrugged lightly, his smile unfaltering as he turned to Leo. "Did you see, kind sirs? He only knows how to blame others. I doubt he can even handle long rides with the number of people you travel with." Leo stepped forward. Brok’s heart sank. "You know what he doesn’t do?" Leo said calmly. "He doesn’t waste my time at inappropriate moments like this." His gaze turned cold. "So leave. And don’t approach me again... unless you want to find yourself in the temple’s infirmary." Without waiting for a response, Leo walked past him. Zakir stood frozen, completely dumbfounded. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞 Behind, Brok’s eyes shimmered with emotion. "Thank you, boss!" he said, his voice thick. "And please rest assured! Now that I’ve joined your territory, I will make sure my beast ranks up. And even if that’s not possible, I’ll increase its capabilities and serve you to the best of my ability!" Leo gave a small nod. "Don’t worry. No one else would be willing to sign a moderate contract like you," he said. "And what I value most is trustworthyness. You’ve proven that. So don’t worry—I won’t replace you anytime soon." Brok nodded firmly. Somehow, those words didn’t just affect him. Veronica, Virat, the three girls—even Leon—took them in silently, as if they held more weight than they appeared to. Soon, the group split. Leo, Lily, and Leon headed toward the top 10 room, separating from the others. The losers’ bracket matches were about to begin. After a brief greeting, the host announced the start of the final day—the final phase of the competition. The arena buzzed with anticipation as the next matches were introduced. The first match was between Aaron and Ronan. Aaron emerged victorious. Despite Ronan’s fire-based attacks, they weren’t particularly effective against Aaron’s rock beasts. And while both were eccentric in their own ways, Aaron’s slightly calmer approach allowed him to outmanoeuvre Ronan at crucial moments. The next match was Aaron versus Uraan. This time, Uraan won—as expected. Though he struggled more than anticipated. Aaron seemed to have learned something from Tavian, disrupting the falcon’s charge-up timing and forcing Uraan to slow down with the earth-related skill of Shardfall Warden. In personal direct combat, they were nearly evenly matched. Uraan used his wind element to lighten his steps, making his movements swift and fluid. Aaron, on the other hand, moved with heavy steps—slower, but each strike carried overwhelming force. Aaron endured through sheer tenacity. But the moment the raven entered the field, the balance broke. The match ended soon after. Uraan once again claimed victory in the losers’ bracket. And now... the final matches remained. 1. Leon vs Uraan Hurricane 2. Leo vs Lily