The eastern forest stank of smoke and blood.
Leone rode at the front, posture relaxed as if he were taking a morning stroll instead of heading into a bandit ransom trap.
Behind him, soldiers marched nervously—each step tense, each glance thrown at him uncertain.
And beside him—
General Kael.
Armor gleaming.
Jaw clenched.
Eyes fixed ahead like a wolf forced to walk next to a snake.
"Your Highness," Kael finally said, voice hard, "stay behind me when we reach the bandit camp."
Leone didn't even look at him.
"No."
Kael grit his teeth. "This isn't a suggestion."
"It wasn't a question," Leone replied calmly.
Kael glared. "You may have impressed the king with your sudden 'growth,' but you are still a weakling who—"
Leone turned his head slightly, eyes dark and amused.
"Tell me something, General."
"…What?"
"Are you this loud because you're nervous?"
Kael stiffened.
The soldiers behind them exchanged looks.
No one—NO ONE—spoke to the kingdom's strongest general like that.
Kael's aura flared. "You insolent—!"
Leone cut him off.
"Save your anger. You'll need it in a moment."
Kael opened his mouth again—but froze when Leone suddenly raised a hand.
Not at him.
At the trees.
The soldiers tensed.
Kael's hand flew to his sword.
Leone whispered, "We're being watched."
A dozen archers hidden in the branches aimed arrows at their party.
None of the soldiers noticed.
Not even Kael noticed.
But Leone did.
Of course he did.
Ambushes were his breakfast back on Earth.
"Bandits?" Kael murmured, scanning the trees.
"No," Leone said softly.
"They're too organized. Too silent. Too well-positioned."
Kael frowned.
"Then who—?"
Leone's voice turned lethal.
"Someone trained. Someone who knows military strategy."
Kael's eyes widened.
"Are you saying—"
"Yes," Leone said.
"These aren't bandits."
A whistle pierced the air.
Arrows flew.
"SHIELDS!" Kael roared.
But they were too late.
Arrows would have skewered the soldiers if not for—
Leone stepped forward.
Then—
CRACK.
He slammed his heel into the ground.
Dust exploded upward in a thick cloud, throwing off the archers' aim.
Arrows whistled past—missing every soldier.
Kael stared at him.
"How… how did you know to do that?"
Leone brushed off his coat.
"It's simple."
He smirked.
"I've survived ambushes far more… creative."
The forest trembled.
Dozens of masked warriors dropped from the trees—blades drawn, faces hidden behind black cloth.
Not bandits.
Something far worse:
Mercenaries.
Kael cursed. "Black Fang? No—they're not this disciplined—"
"They're not Black Fang," Leone said.
"They're being paid."
Kael's eyes snapped to him.
"…Paid? By who?"
Leone smirked.
"That," he said, "is what I'm about to find out."
The mercenaries surrounded them.
One stepped forward—taller, scar-covered, aura radiating killing intent.
"You're the prince?" the man barked.
Leone shrugged.
"Depends. Who's asking?"
The mercenary grinned.
"Your enemies."
Leone smiled wider.
"Get in line."
Kael whispered urgently, "Your Highness, stay behind—"
"Kael," Leone said softly.
"Shut up for thirty seconds."
Kael froze.
Leone walked forward alone.
The mercenaries tensed.
Kael hissed, "He'll die—!"
But Leone raised a hand.
Calm.
Cold.
Absolute.
"Before you act," Leone said, "I have one question."
The leader laughed.
"You're in no position to ask ques—"
Leone's voice sliced through him.
"Who paid you to kidnap me?"
Silence swallowed the forest.
The mercenary leader blinked.
"…How did you—"
"Don't insult me." Leone's voice darkened.
"Bandits don't send archers. Bandits don't use tactical spread formations. Bandits don't request ransom through official channels."
He stepped closer.
"You're mercenaries. Highly trained. Expensive."
His eyes gleamed.
"So which noble emptied their pockets to get rid of me?"
The mercenaries shifted uneasily.
Kael stared at him like he was seeing a ghost.
Leone folded his arms.
"Well?" he asked.
"Speak."
The leader spit.
"Like hell we'd tell—"
Leone moved.
Not with a sword.
Not with magic.
With mafia efficiency.
He grabbed the man's wrist, twisted—CRACK—and slammed his fist into the man's throat.
The mercenary collapsed, choking.
Leone planted a boot on his chest.
"You have three seconds," he said.
"Before I start breaking things you can't fix."
The soldiers shivered.
Kael's eyes widened in shock.
This wasn't a prince.
This wasn't royalty.
This was a predator.
"One…" Leone pressed harder.
"Two…" the man gagged, trembling.
"Th—THE CHANCELLOR!" he screamed.
"Chancellor Marthis hired us! H-Hired us to take you!"
Leone smiled—
Soft.
Deadly.
"I see."
He removed his boot.
Kael stepped forward. "Your Highness—"
Leone raised a hand.
He leaned down and whispered to the mercenary:
"Next time someone wants me dead…"
His voice was a blade.
"Tell them to hire someone competent."
Then—
He elbowed the man unconscious.
Kael swallowed.
"…You're not the same Leonus I knew."
Leone wiped his hands on the man's clothes.
"Good."
He looked at the remaining mercenaries, who were trembling despite outnumbering the royal troops.
"Tell your men to drop their weapons," Leone said, "or things will get… educational."
The mercenaries hesitated.
Leone cracked his knuckles.
"Last chance."
Weapons clattered to the ground.
Leone turned to Kael.
"General," he said, "arrest them."
Kael stared for a long moment.
Then—he bowed his head.
"Yes… Your Highness."
Just as the soldiers moved in—
A scream rang out deeper in the forest.
A child's scream.
The hostages.
Leone didn't wait.
He ran into the trees.
Kael shouted, "Your Highness—!!"
But Leone ignored him.
The scream came again—fear, desperation, pain.
Leone burst into a clearing—
And froze.
Not from fear.
From fury.
A small girl was tied to a post, surrounded by actual bandits—not mercenaries.
And behind her, holding a dagger to her throat—
A man with a familiar insignia on his chest.
An insignia Leone knew far too well.
His breath stopped.
No.
Impossible.
The insignia belonged to—
the same criminal organization that betrayed him in his past life.
The man grinned when he saw him.
"Hello… Boss."