Utopian System

"Elio, please, let the soldiers weaken him first," Selene implored, her voice heavy with concern. Her eyes, usually sharp and decisive, now held a glimmer of fear. "We can't rush into this blindly. The stakes are too high."

Lucien nodded, supporting his companion. His weathered face was etched with worry lines as he spoke.

"You're the symbol of change, Elio. If we lose you, everything we've gained will crumble." He paused, choosing his next words carefully. "The discourse of blaming the families would make it impossible for us to regain control of the city. Without you, chaos would reign, and the wall would cease to function."

Elio looked at them, his eyes burning with a determination neither had seen before. Each passing second was agony for him, imagining more lives sacrificed in his name.

The weight of responsibility pressed down on him as if it was a physical force.

"I can't stop thinking that..." Elio said, his voice low but firm, each word carefully measured. "Every moment we waste, Fathoran will kill more soldiers."

Images of Varick, Raelar, Lucien, and Selene, sacrificing themselves for him, flashed through his mind. These visions tormented him, reminding him of the cost of his mistakes.

Varick's face, bruised and battered but wearing a slight smile, was particularly haunting.

Barely a minute had passed, but to Elio, it felt like an eternity. The air around them seemed to grow heavier with each breath.

Finally, he made his decision.

"I'm going in," he declared, his tone leaving no room for arguments. His posture straightened, radiating an authority that seemed beyond his years.

"Elio, pleas…" Lucien opened his mouth to protest, but Elio cut him off abruptly.

"Silence!" he exclaimed, surprising both Summoners with the force of his command.

"I'm sorry, but I'm an adult, and if I'm to be your leader, you will listen to me,"

Elio continued, his voice softening slightly but losing none of its resolve.

"This is my decision."

Lucien and Selene exchanged looks of astonishment.

The Elio standing before them was not the same young man Lucien had met a year ago.

His fall into the monster sea, the belief of having lost his family, and Varick's sacrifice had changed him profoundly.

Although only about a day had passed since Elio fell from the wall, the experiences he had lived in that short time far surpassed those of his previous 19 years.

The authority and power in his gaze were undeniable.

Recognizing Elio's decision, Lucien and Selene chose not to oppose him further. Instead, they turned towards the gathered soldiers, their voices ringing out in unison:

"Follow your leader!"

And like an unstoppable tide, they all entered the central building behind Elio.

♢♢♢♢

Now, back in the present...

Lucien and Selene fully understood Elio's resolution not to sacrifice more lives. With a silent gesture, they communicated their decision to the troops.

"Hold your positions," Lucien ordered, his voice carrying the authority of years of leadership. "Do not initiate any attacks."

Selene added, her tone firm but empathetic, "Many of Fathoran's soldiers are family members of those on our side. There's no sense in unnecessary bloodshed."

The soldiers nodded, comprehending the gravity of the situation. Although they remained alert, ready to defend themselves if necessary, they understood that this confrontation was between Elio and Fathoran.

In the center of the improvised battlefield, Elio and Fathoran faced each other, as motionless as statues.

Every breath was held in anticipation.

Both leaders were immersed in deep concentration, oblivious to everything around them.

Their minds were completely focused on seeking the slightest opening in the other's defense, any hint of weakness they could exploit. The air between them seemed to crackle with tension.

Elio, despite his newly acquired power and experience, still lacked the finesse that only decades of combat could provide. His stance was solid, but a keen observer could detect the slight tension in his muscles, the barely perceptible tremor in his hands.

Fathoran, on the other hand, had survived and thrived for a century, his fighting instinct honed razor-sharp by daily training. His posture was relaxed yet alert, every movement efficient and purposeful.

It was just for an instant...

A blink of doubt in Elio's eyes, but for Fathoran, it was enough. With superhuman speed, the Founder began to manipulate nickel in his hand, forming a sharp stake.

Fathoran Mana: 35

Elio, sensing the danger, reacted by imbuing his spear with corrosive energy. But his movement was a fraction of a second slower.

Elio Mana: 34

Fathoran lunged forward, the carbon stake gleaming with deadly energy. At the same time, he hurled the projectile directly at Elio.

The young leader, seeing the stake approach, made a split-second decision. He chose to continue his attack, accepting that he would receive the impact...

In his head?

The stake flew towards Elio's head, its trajectory perfectly calculated by Fathoran.

It seemed inevitable that it would impact due to its astonishing speed, potentially ending the battle before it truly began…

The stake passed by Elio… cutting a few strands of hair but avoiding any damage to his resistance.

Selene's swift, with precise control of helium, created an air current that pushed Elio a few centimeters to the side at the last moment.

The young leader didn't lose the rhythm of his attack.

Elio's spear, charged with corrosive energy, started its trajectory in a speed explosion towards Fathoran.

The Founder, having bet everything on his initial attack, now found himself in a vulnerable position.

But he had moved forward to take advantage of his sword, with it raised, he managed to interrupt the trajectory of the tip, which was seeking his head.

The clash between Elio's spear and Fathoran's sword created an intense thunderclap that made the nearest soldiers step back. Sparks of energy flew in all directions, illuminating the lobby with blinding flashes.

Elio wasted no time, taking advantage of his initial attack, he had already finished preparing an enormous mass of ignited carbon.

Elio Mana: 33

Fathoran leaned back, relying on his legs 5 times more powerful than those of a common human, and in an awkward position used his rabbit's control to generate a huge ball of ice.

Fathoran Mana: 34

The impact released a large amount of energy and particles that momentarily obscured the battlefield.

When the light and particles dissipated, Elio and Fathoran found themselves separated again, each evaluating the result of the initial exchange.