Grand Return System

Shadows Over Ashford City

Harry Taylor was stunned for a moment and was overjoyed.

His green eyes nearly lit up.

For a second, the boy looked as though he had been struck by heavenly fortune.

"Did I hear wrongly? You’re going to bring me down the mountain to show off? Are you really bringing me? Oh, this is good, this is good. Hehe, you’re finally willing to bring me to act cool for once. I haven’t acted cool for almost a month. I’ve been holding it in for so long."

Harry was secretly delighted.

Though he tried to keep a dignified face before Leon, the corners of his mouth kept twitching upward.

It was impossible to hide.

Leon merely glanced at him from the corner of his eye, saying nothing.

But there was the faintest trace of amusement hidden in those purple eyes.

Harry followed behind Leon with a smug expression.

As he passed Rias at the hall entrance, he lowered his voice dramatically and whispered,

"Fellow Sister Rias, I’m going down the mountain to show off. Bye bye..."

"Get lost..."

Rias immediately exploded.

Her red eyes flashed.

She folded her arms, furious at his expression.

Inside, grievances bubbled.

Teacher is too biased.

He didn’t bring me down the mountain this time and actually brought him.

What was the use of bringing him along? He couldn’t fight nor could his looks be appreciated. He even caused trouble from time to time. How annoying.

He might as well bring me along.

She bit her lip slightly.

Wronged, but unwilling to say more.

Still... beneath the pouting resentment, she understood Leon must have his reasons.

And that trust kept her from questioning him.

Harry grinned wider.

"Haha, just be envious. I’m leaving. Bye..."

Facing Rias’s unreasonable resentment, Harry patted his butt and smugly followed Leon.

Inside, his thoughts were already soaring.

Finally, it’s my turn to go down the mountain to pretend to be awesome.

Furthermore, I am following such a strong person down the mountain.

Let’s see who dares provoke me?

Hmph, do you know who I’m with? Open your dog eyes and see who this is.

The fantasy nearly made him laugh aloud.

Harry had brainless trust in Leon’s strength and wasn’t worried he would fail.

To him, walking beside Leon was like walking beside an invincible legend.

Before departing, Leon glanced once more toward Rias.

She still looked annoyed.

So he reached out as he passed and flicked her forehead lightly with love.

"Guard the summit well."

Her anger vanished instantly.

She rubbed her forehead, stunned.

Then smiled despite herself.

"I will."

He smile ruffle her hair nod and stepped forward.

Harry hurried after him.

Behind them, Rias stood at the doorway watching.

Crimson hair moving in the wind.

Eyes lingering.

As though trying to memorize his departing back.

And for reasons she did not fully understand—

she whispered under her breath,

"Come back safely, Teacher..."

Leon did not turn.

But perhaps he heard.

Because one hand lifted faintly in acknowledgment as he walked down the stone path.

Soon after— they left Amethyst Summit Division.

The two flew through drifting clouds toward Ashford City.

The sky was broad and pale.

Mountain winds howled against robes.

Below them, rivers glittered like silver snakes.

Villages passed in clusters.

Smoke rose from cooking fires.

But Harry noticed none of it.

He was too excited.

Especially excited.

Whenever they crossed paths with female cultivators traveling the cloud roads, Harry shamelessly whistled.

At one point he even struck a dramatic pose atop his flying artifact.

That expression seemed to scream:

Do you know who my big brother is?

Leon finally gave him a cold look.

"Do that again and I’ll throw you off the cloud path."

Harry coughed.

"Teacher... I was cultivating confidence."

Leon said flatly,

"You were cultivating death."

Harry shut up.

For almost three breaths.

Then began humming again.

They traveled a hundred miles and rushed toward Ashford City.

By noon, they finally arrived at their destination.

But as their descent began—

Harry’s smile slowly faded.

Something felt wrong.

Very wrong.

"Eh... Senior, what are we doing in Ashford City?" Harry gradually realized something was off.

Didn’t they agree to go down the mountain to show off?

Why was he home in the blink of an eye?

Wait a minute...

As soon as he landed, Harry suddenly realized a problem.

The current Ashford City seemed different from the Ashford City in his memory.

Terribly different.

The entire city was filled with refugees scattered across the streets.

Families huddled beside ruined walls.

Children cried.

Broken carts littered alleyways.

Smoke still drifted from charred rooftops.

The originally prosperous capital now looked downcast and wounded.

As if a storm of war had rolled through and left only survivors behind.

There were messes everywhere.

And the people were struggling to survive.

An old woman sat beside a collapsed doorway clutching ashes in both hands.

A soldier with a bandaged shoulder leaned against a ruined post staring blankly ahead.

The city breathed despair.

And even Leon’s expression hardened.

The depression in the city and refugees everywhere made Harry uneasy.

His chest tightened.

His voice shook.

"What... what happened?"

No bravado remained.

Only dread.

He wanted to run home.

Leon didn’t stop him.

He only followed.

Silent.

Watching.

Because this...

was partly why he brought Harry.

Some truths could not be taught inside a training hall.

They had to be seen.

Harry rushed through the streets like a madman.

Past familiar shops now broken.

Past beggars he had once ignored.

Past wounded guards bearing Taylor household insignia.

Then through the gates of the Taylor family estate.

"Father! Mother!"

After rushing into the Taylor Residence, Harry went straight to the hall.

His heart pounded so violently he could hear it.

He was anxious and couldn’t care less.

"Young Master..."

The servants panicked when they saw him rushing back.

One nearly dropped a tray.

Another froze mid-step.

They were about to call out to him, but when they saw he had already barged in, they retracted their hands.

Fear lingered in their faces.

As though they had been living under constant pressure.

Harry saw it.

And dread deepened.

A moment later, another figure appeared at the entrance of the Taylor Residence.

Leon.

Midnight robes edged in amethyst.

Long black hair stirred in the wind.

His presence alone quieted the courtyard.

The servants immediately recognized him.

Shock flashed first.

Then reverence.

"Respected Leon!"

Everyone immediately bowed when they saw him.

They hadn’t forgotten Leon.

Harrier Taylor had made them remember Leon’s appearance clearly, afraid some blind clansman would accidentally offend him.

Leon gave only a slight nod.

Yet even that made the servants relax.

As though a mountain had arrived to shelter them.

One older steward stepped forward with reddened eyes.

"Respected Leon... Young Master returned just in time."

His voice trembled.

Something terrible clearly lingered unsaid.

Leon’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

As if confirming the ominous intuition he had felt since leaving the academy premises.

From inside the great hall, faint urgent voices could already be heard.

Harry’s.

His father’s.

The storm had already begun.

And Leon stepped over the threshold.