Ten Days to Leave My Stepbrother (Beatrice) novel Chapter 365

**TITLE: Across Shadowed Lakes We Find Strength Buried Deep Within by Eren Vale Frost 365**
**Chapter 365 Magical Arrow**

Two strikes. Two lives extinguished. A Blaze Stage. A Burning Stage. Both met their ends like insignificant insects crushed beneath a boot. This was the sheer, terrifying power that Leander wielded, a force that sent shivers through the hearts of even the most seasoned warriors.

Leander extended his hand, fingers long and pale, smooth as if sculpted from the finest marble. Yet within those delicate digits lay a promise of destruction, a threat that was palpable. Even Ares, the master of the International Combat Units, felt an involuntary tremor ripple through his body.

Greed had been nothing but a fleeting concern. Enderman had once stood as his equal, a partner in arms. To dispatch him with a single, merciless blow should have been an impossibility. Yet here was Leander, having accomplished the unthinkable, taking two lives before anyone could even process the horror unfolding before them. Ares felt a coil of dread wrap tightly around his heart. If that merciless strike had been aimed at him, he knew deep down that his fate would mirror that of the fallen.

Leander’s gaze bore into him, an unyielding force that felt as if it could slice through steel. His voice rolled forth like thunder, echoing off the mountains and reverberating in Ares’ very soul.

“Everyone else is gone. Now it’s your turn.”

Ares stumbled back, his heart pounding like a war drum in his chest. The weight of impending doom threatened to crush his resolve. He cursed himself silently. Had he known that Leander was such a formidable monster, he would have never answered the summons from the Arbitration Office. No promise of riches or glory could justify this moment of dread.

“Sovereign Ashcroft!” he shouted, desperation lacing his voice as he retreated across the sea, desperately widening the distance between them. He clasped his fists together in a gesture of respect, bowing deeply, a strained smile twisting his lips in a feeble attempt to mask his fear.

“Enderman and I came here because Greed once tied us together by a bond of favor. We owed him that much. That is why I stood here today,” he continued, his voice trembling slightly. “But I bear no animosity towards you. Greed is dead, and so is Enderman. Let this conflict end here.”

“I, Ares, pledge my word. I will leave now and never set foot in Astria again. I only ask for your mercy. Will you accept my plea?”

Gasps rippled through the crowd gathered on the shore, a collective intake of breath at the sight of Ares, renowned leader of the International Combat Units, bowing and pleading for peace. Ethan felt a shudder run through him, awe washing over his features. The fear that Leander could instill in such a powerful figure was nothing short of terrifying.

Aurora’s eyes blazed with intensity, her heart racing as she remained fixated on Leander. She had never envisioned herself falling for someone, yet here she was, unable to deny the truth of her feelings. The thought of a man like him existing had once seemed absurd, but now it was undeniable.

Deep inside, she locked her resolve. No matter the shame she might face, no matter the sacrifices required, when the dust of war settled, she would not let the opportunity to approach Leander slip through her fingers. She swore to herself that she would seize any chance that came her way.

Claire shook her head, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. In her eyes, the legend of Leander was far from over; it burned with a fiercer glow than ever before.

Reginald, Anton, and the other family leaders collectively exhaled a sigh of relief. Ares bowing to Leander signified that the ominous shadow looming over the Four Families had finally begun to dissipate. Leander had emerged as their savior.

With just a single word from him, Ares would flee, and the turbulent conflict at the Southern Ocean would come to a close.

But then, Leander’s voice sliced through the thick silence like a blade. “You wish to forge an alliance with me? Do you truly believe you are worthy?”

Every heart froze at his words. They had all anticipated a resolution, yet his tone was as cold and unyielding as steel.

His voice deepened, reverberating with authority. “I offered you a choice earlier. I asked if you preferred life or death. You made your decision.”

“My word is ironclad. I declared that I would kill you. Therefore, you must die.”

“Now, you shall meet your end!”

The moment he uttered those words, his body vanished from sight.

“Damn it!” Ares cursed under his breath, but he found himself devoid of breath to utter anything more. The instant Leander disappeared, a chill swept through him, a suffocating weight of death pressing down, engulfing him in terror.

A fist cut through the air, simple in appearance yet aimed directly at his heart.

The strike landed with a sickening crack.

Ares’ body shattered like fragile glass, the punch tearing through his chest and causing his figure to splinter apart midair.

“Hm?”

Leander’s eyes narrowed, his instincts kicking in as he realized something was amiss. The moment his fist had passed through, he felt it—the body was not real. His blow had struck nothing more than a shadow, fragments scattering into arcs of lightning before vanishing into the salty sea air.

“A phantom?” he muttered, his brow furrowing as he observed the reactions of Reginald and the others, who had stiffened in shock. Even under such immense pressure, Ares had managed to conjure a thunder-born shadow to absorb the blow. It was a testament to why he was ranked among the elite of the International Combat Units.

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