My Love Debts Are Everywhere!-Chapter 617: Saving Astra from Dark Force Control

*Boom!*

Leon struck one of the water dragons, shattering it instantly.

But the dragon reformed—and the others lunged at it with incredible speed.

*Whoosh!* ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Leon twisted midair and dropped down—not sinking into the lake, but gathering holy power at his feet.

Then, with a burst of energy, he launched himself above the water's surface toward Astra, who stood twenty meters away.

"This time, it has to work!" he shouted, raising the Holy Sword of Zenith high. "Hero Technique: Divine Slash!"

He swung the Holy Sword of Zenith toward Astra, and in an instant, a massive slash formed from holy power and shot toward her.

Astra's eyes widened as she sensed the overwhelming threat.

She raised her right hand—and dozens of water dragons materialized to shield her.

Unfortunately...

*Slash!*

The holy power tore through them, splitting every dragon into fragments.

"No…" Astra gasped hoarsely just before the slash struck her and erupted in a violent explosion.

Leon didn't hesitate. As Miranda had warned, Astra wouldn't awaken while the black roots still bound her.

Without hesitation, he rushed forward, crushed the remaining roots, then lifted her gently and carried her down to the ground.

"Hah... Hah..." Leon panted, carefully laying Astra's unconscious body on the grass.

He sank down beside her, staring up at the blue sky, sweat soaking his back.

"As I thought... Astra is incredibly strong," he muttered, resting his forehead against his arm.

It had taken him an hour to complete everything, using multiple Hero Techniques—each one draining a heavy toll on his holy power.

But that wasn't surprising, considering how dangerous Astra was.

Fueled by the boundless energy of the black lake and controlled by dark forces, she was nearly unstoppable.

Every attack she launched was deadly. Even the slightest lapse in concentration could have allowed the dark power to seep into his body.

Of course, with both holy power and chaos power residing within him, he wasn't too concerned.

Still, it would've been troublesome—purifying that darkness would take time.

Once he regained some strength, Leon sat up, his eyes fixed on the black lake ahead.

Although Astra was free, the lake stayed the same—dark and still—as if her rescue had changed nothing.

But that wasn't surprising. From the beginning, Astra had only been a puppet—used by them to bring him down.

Still, Leon didn't care. His goal was to save Astra. He pushed thoughts of purifying the lake aside for now, determined to find a solution later.

Turning his gaze toward Astra, Leon studied her face, amazement flickering in his eyes.

"Tsk! If Liliana saw a woman who looked this much like her, she'd be shocked, wouldn't she?" Leon chuckled softly.

From the moment they met, he had nearly mistaken Astra for Liliana—their posture and appearance were almost identical.

The only differences were their hair and eye colors—and their manner of speech. Liliana was cold and distant, like a queen who ruled with an iron fist.

Astra, on the other hand, was tempting and charming, like Athena in her spoiled, flirtatious mood.

Thinking of the two women, Leon suddenly felt a wave of sadness and loneliness.

It had been nearly ten months since he last saw Liliana and her daughters.

He wondered—were they alright? Did they feel lonely without him?

And… who would keep that smelly girl Fiona company every night now?

Lost in his thoughts, Leon was startled as Astra's still body suddenly stirred.

"Uhm…"

A soft moan escaped her lips. Her brows furrowed, and her body trembled slightly.

Leon was startled and immediately prepared himself, wary that Astra might still be under the dark forces' control.

After a few tense seconds, Astra's eyes slowly opened, still dazed.

But this time, the black eyes with red pupils had returned to their natural green.

The ferocity that once marked her face was gone, replaced by confusion and astonishment.

Relieved, Leon let out a quiet sigh. Miranda's words were true: bringing Astra to the ground had saved her and awakened her true self.

"Are you okay, Astra?" Leon asked softly.

The voice seemed to catch Astra off guard. She hurriedly sat up, looking at him with cautious suspicion.

Her brows furrowed slightly as she asked, "Who are you?"

Leon was momentarily stunned by the question, then recalled that the one he had faced earlier was merely a fragment of Astra's consciousness, not her true self.

With a faint smile, Leon placed a hand over his chest and introduced himself.

"My name is Leon Kruger, and I am... the Fated One."

At his words, Astra's body stiffened, her eyes widening.

"The Fated One?" She scanned him intently, then suddenly relaxed. "It really is you. Finally… after thousands of years, you have come."

She breathed a sigh of relief, her wary expression softening into tenderness and warmth.

Catching that gaze, Leon felt unexpectedly awkward and uneasy.

It was so much like the way Liliana looked at him, making it even harder to tell them apart.

"Ahem!" Leon cleared his throat softly, trying to break the awkward silence. "When I first arrived, I encountered your consciousness. That's where I got the last piece of the key to open the altar. It's how I managed to enter this place."

"Oh?" Astra looked slightly surprised, then smiled. "I remember now… I did leave behind a fragment of my consciousness about two thousand years ago, before the dark power of the evil god completely overwhelmed me."

"I see… that makes sense." Leon nodded thoughtfully. "By the way…"

His gaze shifted to the black lake about fifty meters away. "Can you explain exactly what happened to you, Astra? Honestly, I still don't fully understand your situation—or the World Tree."

"And… is that black lake the source of the dark power eating away at you?"

He already had some idea, but suspected there were details Miranda hadn't shared. He needed to understand everything clearly to know his next move.

Astra sighed softly. "It's a long story, but I'll tell you. First, though… let's find a more comfortable place to talk."

*Snap!*

She snapped her fingers, and in an instant, they vanished from the scene, reappearing in a beautiful garden with two chairs and a round table in the center.

"Sit down," Astra said, settling into the chair on the left.

Leon took the chair on the right, facing Astra directly.

Astra lightly twirled her right index finger, and two steaming cups of tea appeared before them.

She picked up her cup and took a sip, her expression slowly softening as she began, "It all started back then..."